October 13, 2022
South Burnett Regional Council will examine its options to help a $1.3 million housing development proposed by the Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch.
The Sub-Branch has told Council it wants to build 12 residential units for veterans and a community centre in Kingaroy.
The branch said it has about $700,000 available cash and an additional $660,000 loan facility with Westpac that would not expire until 2031.
Combined, this $1.36 million would fund the residential units and the $660,000 loan would be repaid in five years.
The Sub-Branch also owns an existing veterans’ welfare centre at 73 Kingaroy Street, and believes if it puts this on the market it would raise half the cost of an $800,000 community centre.
The Sub-Branch requested Council gift them land for the venture, and suggested a 4000 to 6000sq m slice of vacant Council land in Pound Street, Kingaroy. might be a suitable site, leaving the remaining 29,000sq m available for future development.
At Wednesday’s Liveability standing committee meeting, Mayor Brett Otto moved a motion that staff prepare a report on the RSL’s proposal before the end of the year for Councillors to consider.
The report will outline the total land required for the accommodation units and community centre, and the processes Council would need to follow to sub-divide a block and approve a material change of use – either in Pound Street or any other land that Council might contribute.
Cr Kathy Duff said she had attended a meeting with several other Councillors and Sub-Branch representatives on September 7 to hold initial discussions on the proposal.
She thought the idea was sound and would help address the rental crisis the region was experiencing.
As well, the Sub-branch had the funds to carry it out and were keen to make a quick start.
However, Cr Danita Potter warned the future of the Pound Street block – which has been vacant since the former Kingaroy Shire Council depot moved to Ivins Street in 2005 – was a topic that deserved more thought.
“We have not discussed Pound Street as a Council enough,” Cr Potter said.
“We’ve had individual meetings with individual people but as a Council … we have not discussed our aspirations or what we feel would be a good fit for Pound Street.
“There are other things that we could be doing at Pound Street and there are other blocks of land that Council has been looking at for the RSL.
“So this is something I would like to lay on the table so we can discuss this in depth.”
Mayor Otto said the intent of the motion was not to commit the Council to do anything.
Instead, its aim was to examine the RSL’s land needs and the processes Council would need to follow if it gave any land to them.
He believed the community was keen to see Council “do something” with Pound Street.
Cr Scott Henschen said he had also attended the meeting with the Sub-Branch. He said Cr Kirstie Schumacher had pointed out there was possibly land available elsewhere in Kingaroy that would suit their project.
He also reminded Councillors another proposal for Pound Street had recently been suggested to Council – which was commercial in confidence – and that needed to be taken into account as well.
Cr Gavin Jones said he had no argument with Cr Otto’s motion, and agreed Council needed to begin taking action on the future of Pound Street.
He said there were a number of options on how Pound Street could be used, and these needed to be examined and discussed by Councillors in depth.
Mayor Otto’s motion was seconded by Cr Potter and carried unanimously.
Related articles:
The block has been bare and unused since 2005. Now that someone shows interest and initiative, council may have a better use? Please!
How about doing something? The best that can happen is a motion to not commit to do anything.
We need houses, units, buildings so council can collect more rates. Simple. If council is sitting on other land that can be used for development how about advertising it so developers can get cracking?
This whole story sums up why a lot of people are disillusioned with local government.
Well done to Kingaroy RSL on your positive proposal for a partial development of an ugly, underperforming area of land.
My estimate is council would receive rates income of around $20,000 per year from the 12 units + $ from the community centre. So in, say, five years council has $100,000 in income as apposed to zero $ now.
A win for everyone, and a helping hand for our veterans.
There is still a majority slice of land left for follow-up development.
Personally, I hate these “commercial in confidence” references. If someone makes an enquiry to council staff fine, keep it confidential.
If it is a matter for discussion/influence at a council meeting, then all cards should be on the table.
I think I’ve got a script for a good sitcom here: “Yes Councillor.”
It’s been 7 years since this was declared a safe site for construction, and STILL there hasn’t been enough discussion from Council? Is there any other business that would hold an asset for this amount of time & then say ‘um, not sure yet, we’ll have another meeting’??
Well, at least we can see what type of people we should be looking to elect next election.
I’m inclined to agree. Over the past seven years the SBRC has paid to have two independent studies conducted into the best possible uses for this site but the Council is still twiddling its thumbs about what to do.
As I recall, both studies concluded one good use for the site, or a portion of it, would be to provide aged care accommodation. And on that basis, the RSL Sub-Branch’s well thought out plan to build veterans’ accommodation should get an immediate tick.