Looking over the water from Grassy Hill at Cooktown on Cape York. Photo: Cape York Weekly/Luke Mortimer.
Cook Shire Council is deciding where more houses and supporting infrastructure will be built as the region grapples with one of the lowest vacancy rates in Queensland.
More housing is desperately needed in the shire and residents have been asked to weigh in on priority areas, as well as future residential growth as part of the Cooktown Residential Masterplan.
In June, Cook recorded the tightest vacancy rate in the state (zero per cent), with no homes up for grabs at the time, according to The Real Estate Institute of Queensland.
Now, the council has identified a spot in Cooktown as a priority area for detailed residential and infrastructure planning (pictured below).
“The area has been selected because it is close to the existing town, services and facilities and provides an opportunity to plan infrastructure across multiple properties rather than one block at a time,” the council states.
Cook Shire Council has identified an area of Cooktown (indicated by the green) as the priority for detailed residential and infrastructure planning. Image: Supplied.
“With the location already been identified we’re now asking for your input on housing mix, infrastructure and other planning priorities within the area.”
The council wants feedback on housing types and lot sizes, roads and access, parks, open spaces and community facilities and how development should be staged, among other factors.
The Cook Shire Planning Scheme also identifies Marton, Harry Heath Close/Endeavour Valley Road, Oaky Creek Road/Endeavour Valley Road, Racecourse Road, as well as Quarantine Bay Road and Schwartz Street as areas where work could be undertaken.
“We want to understand which of these areas the community thinks should be prioritised for future residential growth, why, and whether there are other areas council should consider in the future. This broader conversation will help inform council’s future residential planning,” the council states.
“Cooktown needs more housing, but simply having land available doesn’t mean it can easily be developed.
“In parts of Cooktown, roads, water, sewerage and drainage infrastructure need to be extended or upgraded before more housing can be delivered. The cost can be too great for individual landowners to solve property by property.
The Cook Shire Planning Scheme already identifies several areas around Cooktown for potential future urban expansion. Image: Supplied.
“The Residential Masterplan takes a coordinated approach, looking at where housing can realistically occur, what infrastructure is needed and how future development could be staged.”
Technical investigations into infrastructure, flooding, environmental constraints and other planning issues will be considered alongside the community feedback.
Consultation will help inform the council’s draft Residential Masterplan and Infrastructure Plan, as well as longer-term residential growth planning.
As planning work continues, it’s not yet known when new houses will be built.
“The timing of new housing will therefore depend on factors including landowner and developer decisions, demand, development approvals and the availability and funding of supporting infrastructure,” the council states.
A survey is available through the council’s website. Residents can also chat with the council’s planning team about the masterplan at the Spring into the Markets at Adelaide St, Cooktown on Saturday 12 September.
The masterplan does not result in the rezoning of land or approval of developments. Changes to the Cook Shire Planning Scheme would be a separate process.
The Cooktown Residential Masterplan Project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Scheme Supply Fund.
