City of Moreton Bay has introduced a new Attraction of Affordable Student Accommodation Development Policy aimed at increasing the supply of affordable student housing and easing pressure on the local rental market.
The policy allows Council to remove development application fees and infrastructure charges for eligible projects, creating incentives for developers to deliver purpose-built student accommodation in targeted locations across the city.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the policy was a transparent and accountable way for Council to provide remission of development application fees and infrastructure charges for the ‘right development in the right location’.
“The UniSC campus at Moreton Bay Central has exceeded all expectations with faster-than-expected expansion,” Mayor Flannery said. “Its rapid success has led to high demand for student accommodation that the market hasn’t been able to keep pace with.”
He said boosting student accommodation across the City would also help alleviate a general shortage of rental properties, which had been exacerbated by the influx of students, many of whom are renting houses to live locally.
Supporting Growth, Education and Long-Term Community Outcomes
Councillor Jim Moloney (Division 8) said the policy would support growth at the Moreton Bay Central Priority Development Area ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“It will become a hub for innovation and economic activity with further expansion of the UniSC site, the future development of the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre as a key Games and legacy community facility, as well as the new Lakes Precinct,” Cr Moloney said.
University of the Sunshine Coast Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, said student accommodation was more than somewhere to live for the growing student population because it was purpose-built with student needs in mind, in particular, safety, convenience and affordability.
“We know that a large percentage of students will continue to live and work where they study, so, as City of Moreton Bay continues to grow, it is likely that if they have had a positive student experience, UniSC students will remain in the community long after graduation,” she said.
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