December 18, 2019
Toowoomba Regional Council has adopted a new policy aimed at attracting intensive horticulture businesses to the region.
A new Temporary Economic Development Incentives for Intensive Horticulture policy will offer a 50 per cent rebate of total infrastructure charges for new projects, up to a maximum discount of $100,000 per approval.
Planning and Development Committee chair Cr Chris Tait said Toowoomba Regional Council had received several development applications for intensive horticultural projects in recent years.
They included a 42ha greenhouse vegetable farm development by FKG Group that promises to employ up to 500 people when completed, and a $500 million 75ha medicinal cannabis facility by Asterion, which also promises to create up to 500 jobs.
In some cases, applicants have requested a discount on infrastructure charges.
“The Toowoomba region has seen some massive new and expanded facilities,” Cr Tait said.
“Horticulture is a growth industry with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics forecasting a three per cent increase in the commodity’s national gross value to $11.7 billion in the 2019/20 financial year.
“Council has identified high technology greenhouses as a sector that will bring new opportunities to the region and will have a positive economic impact, particularly on regional areas.
“Council will offer up to $1 million in discounts for the incentives program in a bid to drive development across the horticulture industry.”
The new policy will become effective immediately and will run as a trial until December 30, 2020.
Toowoomba Mayor Cr Paul Antonio said he was excited by the prospect to foster an emerging industry in one of Queensland’s richest agricultural regions.
“Shed or greenhouse horticulture is an efficient use of water, it is job-intensive and it is an industry for the future.”
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Toowoomba Regional Council has also approved changes and an extension to another policy designed to offer incentives for establishing businesses in designated townships across the region.
On Tuesday, Councillors approved a Planning and Development Committee recommendation designed to encourage business and industry development applications that are eligible for Council discounts under the Temporary Economic Development Incentives for District Townships policy.
Planning and Development Committee chair Cr Chris Tait said minor changes would ensure the policy continued to offer an incentive to boost growth across the region’s towns.
The revised policy excludes previous rural zones and applies to designated areas at Yarraman, Goombungee, Crows Nest, Hampton, Meringandan, Gowrie Junction, Kingsthorpe, Oakey, Jondaryan, Cecil Plains, Top Camp, Vale View, Wyreema, Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby, Clifton, Pittsworth, Millmerran, Gowrie Mountain, Kulpi and Haden.
Cr Tait said council had also decided to extend the policy to June 30, 2022.
The policy will offer up to $1 million per financial year for the incentives program in a bid to drive development across Toowoomba regional townships.
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