Our incentives program for regional areas has been extended and enhanced. A total of $3 million over three years has been set aside to boost growth in ‘rural charge areas’ and ‘township charge areas’. Information about these areas can be found at the end of the 2.32 Temporary Economic Development Incentives for District Townships Policy & Charge Area Maps. Infrastructure charges can be found in the Charges Resolution No.5 article or other relevant charges resolutions.

If you wish to undertake industrial, business or residential developments in these areas, you may be eligible for significant discounts on infrastructure charges.

Effective period

The incentives are effective until 30 June 2025.

Applicable areas

• Township charge areas, rural charge areas or Cambooya Priority Infrastructure Area - $1 million per year (on a first come, first served basis) to be reviewed annually. A total of $3 million over 3 years.
• Industry activities  - discount of 75% or up to $50,000 per application.
• Business activities - discount of 55% or up to $50,000 per application.
• Essential services (excluding 'veterinary services') at our discretion.
• Residential Development within the Township Charge Area - $14,500 per dwelling, vacant land or per accommodation suite.
• Residential Development within the Rural Charge Area - $4,500 per dwelling, vacant land or per accommodation suite.

Localities that will benefit from this policy

Please contact us for further information.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, all of the following criteria must apply:

Development that has either an effective development permit for reconfiguration of a lot (RAL), or a material change of use (MCU), or an effective compliance permit exists for the purpose of:

• industrial, business or residential uses located within our rural charge area, townships charge area or Cambooya priority infrastructure area (PIA)
• an Adopted Infrastructure Charges Notice or Infrastructure Charges Notice has been issued in relation to the Development Approval or imposed and infrastructure contribution condition in the Development Approval 
• infrastructure charges must not have been paid yet.

How to apply

1. Fill in either: 

 District townships incentives scheme - Discount infrastructure charges request form APP 030 (online) 

or

District townships incentives scheme - Discount infrastructure charges request form APP 030 (for print)

2. Once approved, the applicant must lodge:

A compliance certificate or request for endorsement for an applicable stage of the approval or the approval for:

• a plan of subdivision for RAL by 30 June 2025 or
• certificate of classification (Form 11) for MCU by 30 June 2025.

We will enter into an infrastructure agreement with the land owner for the purpose of this policy.

Terms mentioned in eligibility criteria

The following terms are mentioned in the eligibility criteria section of the application form. 

'Business activities' means:

• agricultural supplies store
• bulk landscaping supplies
• food and drink outlet
• garden centre
• hardware and trade supplies
• market
• office
• outdoor sales
• parking station
• sales office
• service industry
• service station
• shop
• shopping centre
• showroom.

'Industry activities' means:

• extractive industry
• high impact industry
• low impact industry
• marine industry
• medium impact industry
• research and technology industry
• service industry
• special industry
• warehouse.

'Veterinary services' means a premises used for veterinary care, surgery and treatment of animals that may include provision for the short-term accommodation of the animals on the premise.

'Essential services' (excluding “veterinary services”) in table 1 of the Charges Resolution (CR) No.3 means:

• detention facility
• emergency services
• health care services
• hospital
• residential care facility.

A residential development purpose means the Reconfiguration of a Lot or Material Change of Use within the Rural Charge Area or Townships Charge Area  (refer to Appendix A: Charge Area Maps of the CR No. 3) for 'residential' purposes. 

'Residential' purposes in table 1 of the Charges Resolution (CR) No. 3 means:

• caretaker’s accommodation
• dual occupancy
• dwelling house
• multiple dwelling
• dwelling unit.

A long term accommodation development purpose means the Material Change of Use within the Rural Charge Area or Townships Charge Area (refer to Appendix A: Charge Area Maps of the CR No. 3) for ‘accommodation (long term) purposes.

Accommodation (long term) purposes in Table 1 of the Charges Resolution (CR) No.3 means:

• community residence
• relocatable home park
• retirement facility
• rooming accommodation.

The Temporary Toowoomba CBD Development Incentive Policy was introduced in 2015 to encourage development within the CBD that aligns with the objectives of the Toowoomba City Centre Master Plan. The Policy was most recently amended in August 2021 to extend the qualifying period to the date of the 2024 Queensland Local Government Elections.

Purpose

The purpose of this Council policy is to provide incentives to new development within the Incentive Area – Toowoomba CBD, to encourage:

a) High-quality design outcomes;

b) Sympathetic and adaptive reuse of heritage listed buildings; and/or

c) The creation of larger development footprints through the amalgamation of lots.

This policy is designed to attract investment in the Incentive Area – Toowoomba CBD, in order to stimulate sustainable growth, diversify and value-add to the Toowoomba regional economy

Effective period

Effective until the 2024 Queensland Local Government Elections.

Qualifying Development

To be eligible for consideration for an incentive under this policy, you must first receive confirmation from Council that you're a Qualifying Development. In order for Council to issue you with a Qualifying Development Confirmation Notice, you must make a complete request to Council using the Incentives Policy Preliminary Request Form and meet the following criteria:

• be for an Eligible Use;
• be located in the Incentive – Toowoomba CBD area; and
• be lodged in association with a “properly made” development application (as defined under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009) received by Council between 1 July 2015 and the 2024 Queensland Local Government Elections.

Related Documents

Temporary Toowoomba CBD Development Incentives Policy

Temporary Toowoomba CBD Development Incentives Policy Preliminary Request Form

We have committed $2 million under a new policy that will lower the cost of industrial development. The policy provides for a capped discount available on infrastructure charges for material change of use (MCU) of premises for industry activities and discounting infrastructure charges applicable to 30 new non-residential lots on land zoned for industrial development. Infrastructure charges for new MCU – Industry Activities is discounted by 50% in the Urban Charge Area or 100% in the Township or Rural Charge Areas up to a maximum discount of $100,000 per application.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to encourage new industrial development that will stimulate the development and construction industries and create new employment across the region to minimise the economic downturn experienced by the Toowoomba Region as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's not the purpose of the policy to enhance the viability of marginal and/or speculative development. As a discretionary policy, we reserve the right to approve or refuse applications made under this policy at its sole discretion.

Effective period 

Effective until 30 June 2024.

Qualifying development 

To be eligible for consideration for an incentive under this policy, you must first receive confirmation from us that you are a development that qualifies. In order for us to issue you with a qualifying development confirmation notice you must make a written request detailing how your development meets the following criteria:

1. be for an eligible development or
2. be lodged in association with a 'properly made' development application (as defined under the Planning Act 2016) received by 30 June 2024 or
3. relate to a development approval approved by 30 June 2024.

Related documents 

Temporary Economic Development Incentives for Non-Residential Development Policy 

Council has identified that ‘high technology’ greenhouses bring new opportunities to the Region, which will have a positive economic impact particularly on township and rural areas. A total of $1 million has been allocated by Council for this incentive program. This funding will be allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis. A total ‘maximum discount’ amount of $100,000 will be available per premises which is the subject of an application or multiple applications under this policy.

Purpose

Council recognises the importance of economic development in progressive and emerging technologies. To encourage economic development in intensive horticulture, Toowoomba Regional Council (Council) may, in certain circumstances accept a reduced infrastructure charge amount (Discounted Amount) in satisfaction of an infrastructure charges notice.

Effective period

Effective until 30 June 2025.

Qualifying Development 

This administrative policy will only apply where all of the following criteria are established:

1. An effective development permit for a material change of use (MCU), for the purpose of:

a) Activity Group ‘rural activities’ and use the term ‘intensive horticulture’ as defined in the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012; and

b) Development category ‘High Impact Rural’ as identified in the under Table 1 of the Charges Resolution (CR) No. 3 or similar category in previous or subsequent resolutions; and

2. Council has issued an Infrastructure Charges Notice (ICN) in relation to the Development Approval and the infrastructure charge has not yet been paid; and

3. The Development Approval applies to land which is located within:

a) A Rural Charge Area; or

b) A Rural Zone as defined in the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012; and

c) Not within the Priority Infrastructure Area (PIA); and

4. Council has received a well-formed request and after an assessment has resolved to apply this policy; and

5. Council and the owner of the land the subject of the Development Approval have entered into an infrastructure agreement reflecting the agreement of the Council to the Discounted Amount and agreement of the owner to comply with all conditions of the relevant Development Approval requiring and/or relating to road upgrades.

Related Documents 

Temporary Economic Development Incentives for Intensive Horticulture Policy

Council has committed $3.5 million under a new policy that will lower the cost of medium density residential development. The policy provides for a percentage discount available on infrastructure charges for material change of use (MCU) of premises for multiple dwellings (3 or more residential dwellings) and privately certified (PC) approvals for dual occupancies and duplexes. This policy has three discount rates:

• Infrastructure charges for multiple dwelling permits approved by Council after 23 June 2022 are discounted by 70%.
• Infrastructure charges for multiple dwelling permits approved by Council prior to 23 June 2022 are discounted by 40%.
• Infrastructure charges for dual occupancy permits are discounted by 30%.

Purpose

Toowoomba Regional Council recognises the need to encourage new residential development and to support the delivery of improved housing supply and diversity across the Toowoomba Regional Council area. This policy has been created to assist in this supply issue, focusing on incentivising the completion of current existing and effective development approvals for medium density residential development.

To encourage the development and completion of existing and effective development permits for certain medium density use approvals, Council may, in certain circumstances, agree to reduce the levied charges by a Discounted Amount (to the extent it is available at the time of payment), in accordance with the terms of this policy.

Effective Period 

Effective until 23 June 2024.

Applications

To apply to this policy, please submit a well-formed request to development@tr.qld.gov.au.

A well-formed request must:

1. Be made in writing marked to the attention of Chief Executive Officer, Toowoomba Regional Council; and
2. Detail the Development Approval and, where applicable, the ICN to which the request pertains quoting the applicable Council reference details; and
3. Clearly address the ‘Application’ provisions as they appear in this policy, in order to demonstrate why the applicant says this policy can be applied to the Development Approval.

Related Documents

2.84 Temporary Economic Incentives for Medium Density Residential Development Policy 

We've approved a new policy to guide the deferral of infrastructure charges for not-for-profit/charitable community and health organisations and is effective for two years, starting on 1 February 2021. 

This policy applies to infrastructure charges for endorsed and registered Public Benevolent Institutions, Health Promotion Charities and Community Organisations (as per the Australian Tax Office) for 100% up to a maximum of $100,000 per application.

The organisation seeking a waiver or discount in relation to the Development Approval must enter into an infrastructure agreement with us detailing the requirements of the policy and specific terms of agreement.

Application requirements

We will only grant a deferral of infrastructure charges where:

•  the use on the premises is being undertaken as a Community use and/or by a PBI or HPC organisation, as defined in this policy; and
•  multiple uses exist on the premises, the uses are separately identified between the activities of a PBI or HPC, or Community use, and any other activities undertaken on the premises; and
•  we received a well-formed request.

Related Documents

2.81 Deferral of Infrastructure Charges for Public Benevolent Institutions (PBI), Health Promotion Charities (HPC) and Community Uses