City of Bunbury unanimously endorses motion to distribute investment incentives for residential development

The City of Bunbury could soon offer incentives to ratepayers who subdivide or develop their residential properties under a new plan to combat the State’s housing crisis and target future population growth. Councillors unanimously agreed at an ordinary meeting last Tuesday to have the City review investment incentives and prepare brochures for ratepayers highlighting development opportunities which would be distributed with their 2022-23 charges. The motion on notice was brought to the council by Cr Ben Andrew, who said the City’s population was expected to more than double to 200,000 by 2050, requiring about 40,000 new homes — of which 10,000 to 15,000 could be created in the existing urban zone land, including more than 60 per cent through subdivision. “I am very passionate about the local housing strategy,” he said. “Housing is very important, it is a human rights issues that everyone has access to housing, and hopefully this way we can help to keep people within our city limits.” Mayor Jaysen Miguel said it was hoped the increase in housing could help stop the effects the housing and rental crisis in WA was having on the area. “Currently we are in a bit of a housing crisis, so we want to know what opportunities we have to see more development,” he said. Cr Miguel said grouping the information with the rates notices would ensure everyone had access to the information. “Everyone is going to be opening their rates up, so this is an opportunity where they will get a letter from the city which they might not necessarily read,” he said. “We are looking at saying ‘here is the information and giving that out to our ratepayers and asking if this is something they have been thinking about. “Come and speak to us about what opportunities you have got because we would love to see infill development.” Cr Gabi Ghasseb said with water to the west, and three other shires to the north, east and south, Bunbury needed to look at ways to increase housing in the City to draw more revenue for projects. “Our population base and ratepayer base has been very stagnant for a very long time, yet all the adjoining shires have been growing significantly because they have plenty of land,” he said. “Personally, I believe we need to roll out the red carpet for developers. “Construction costs, including project costs for council is going up, so we do need more funds and we can’t rely on the poor existing ratepayers.” An Investment Incentive Policy workshop is set to be held in May, ahead of the draft plan being presented to the council.