Sites proposed as Council looks at own land for affordable housing

Noosa Council will investigate whether two of its own land parcels can be used for affordable housing in an effort to tackle the shire’s worsening housing crisis. 

With housing costs escalating, Noosa Council is investigating the potential to provide affordable accommodation on Council land, but state support is needed.

At Monday’s General Committee meeting, Councillors committed $50,000 to scope out and test options for the land at Noosa Heads and Cooroy.

“We’re doing the leg work, but we need the state – as the primary housing provider – to partner with us to deliver the affordable housing our community desperately needs,” Mayor Clare Stewart said.

Councillors unanimously endorsed Mayor Stewart’s request for Council to lobby the state to audit all of its Noosa housing stock and land to find new housing opportunities.

“There needs to be a holistic review of their Noosa land - across all of the state’s many departments – to search out potential affordable housing sites for our shire,” the Mayor said.

“This is not unique to Noosa, it is a state-wide issue that requires State Government action,” she said.

“We’re investigating solutions using our own land, but we’re limited in what we can provide as housing is not a Council responsibility. We need the state’s support to deliver more housing.”

The Mayor said a small Council plot at Noosa Heads could be used for housing for key workers priced out of the private market.

A larger parcel in the hinterland could accommodate residents with disabilities, older residents who don’t own their own homes, single parents and low-income families.

“These are two sites we’re looking at now to fast-track solutions, and we’ll consider further sites as we develop our housing strategy, which is expected to come to Council for adoption in early 2022.”

Exploring options for the Noosa Heads and Cooroy sites is a key recommendation of the new Housing Needs Assessment, developed by staff with external expert input.

“It’s a comprehensive assessment backed up by hard data and it paints a very confronting picture of the housing situation in Noosa,” the Mayor said.

“It will certainly inform our future housing strategy and our dialogue with the state.

“The strategy will also canvass potential changes to planning scheme zonings, and other amendments to encourage affordable housing development.”