Commercial and industrial developers are being urged to take ‘another look’ at the Central Highlands after the council decided on a massive reduction in infrastructure charges for non-residential subdivisions this week.
Council approved the reduction of the infrastructure charge for creating additional non-residential lots, which contributes to supply and provision of trunk infrastructure, including water, sewerage, transport (roads), stormwater and community purpose (parklands), from $85,980 to $28,000.
Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes told the councillors that the decision was worth promoting.
‘From today we are now in a competitive position with those regions that surround us when it comes to pitching for business.
‘It’s certainly a different position to what the region was in 10 years ago, but we’ve recognised this and made the necessary change.
‘By making the Central Highlands more attractive to people that might want to develop land for commercial and industrial enterprises we’re creating opportunities for existing businesses to expand and new ones to move into the area.
‘This has the desirable flow-on effect of bring more people here that need more houses that ultimately increases the ratepayer base and therefore the economic growth objective of the council for the region.
‘This will certainly be another tool in our marketing portfolio to reinforce the attractiveness of this region to investors,’ the mayor said.