Housing Incentives

Senior residents should not be expected to leave their neighbourhood or town if their current house is no longer suitable, safe or comfortable. Older houses like traditional Queenslanders particularly present challenges for the elderly: they can be draughty and costly to insulate, they often involve steps and changes in level, some still have toilets on the back landing, external laundries and bathrooms that can’t easily accommodate grab rails or non-slip flooring. Overall, they typically have more house and yard than is needed or easy to maintain.    

Ideally senior residents would have safe, secure housing options within their existing neighbourhood which offer single-level living, good orientation for sunshine and outlook, low-cost thermal comfort, low maintenance design with versatile, adaptable spaces and access to a balcony or garden. Beyond their home, the neighbourhood should include easy access to shops, services, shaded footpaths and public transport.  

Housing that integrates seniors with residents of all ages, rather than segregating them in gated communities is preferred. Making provision for smaller dwellings within existing hinterland towns or the urban coastal areas will be important for our senior residents to “age in place” in well serviced neighbourhoods they know and communities they are connected to.  

Some of the older holiday resorts have been transitioning to permanent housing. Changing tourist trends and expectations, coupled with the popularity of small apartments with high levels of amenities and proximity to the river or beaches have led to the natural evolution of these older properties transitioning to new residential communities.   

Infill development offers environmental, economic, and social benefits by better utilising existing urban land, leading to more efficient resource use, reduced urban sprawl, protection of the environment and sensitive areas, lower infrastructure costs, and increased access to transport, services and community amenities. It fosters stronger, more walkable neighbourhoods, provides more housing options, and revitalises existing urban areas.    

Council has a social responsibility to make provision for diverse housing choice to meet the changing makeup of the population, community needs, budgets and lifestyles.  This includes social and affordable housing as well as accessible housing.   

Other than detached houses on large lots, there are various types of housing that are suitable in established, serviced and well located neighbourhoods.  These include secondary dwellings, duplexes, units, townhouses, rooming accommodation, community residences and relocatable home parks, as well as age specific housing for the elderly in need of care.   

Good design is critical in achieving sensitive infill development and housing choice. It is recognised housing in our existing communities, particularly rural towns and villages, needs to be designed with consideration of character, local identity and liveability.  

The overall types and number of homes in a town or street may increase but the character and feel of the neighbourhood need not be affected. 

Redeveloping an infill site, can contribute to housing choice and diversity by taking up incentive bonus provisions for small dwellings under Noosa Plan 2020 and maximising the number of dwellings on site.  

In the recent past Noosa Shire is seeing, for example, six or eight old flats being demolished and developed for fewer large dwellings, which is not contributing to the housing needs of the Shire.   

Small dwellings are less than 100m2 in size and are generally 1-3 bedrooms in size, however smaller dwellings such as studios are also encouraged.  

Noosa Plan 2020 encourages and provides incentives for the development of small dwellings in Medium and High Density Residential zones to increase housing stock, housing diversity and housing choice for smaller households. Residential developments in mixed use formats in Centre zones must be small dwellings.