- Media Release
The West Coast is a great place to live and work, and the West Coast Council welcomes new residents to our region. We believe our region is one of the best places in Australia to build a new home, especially if you are a first home builder.
In an effort to encourage new developments to meet housing needs, at the April 2020 Ordinary Meeting, Council endorsed a change to the Rates Policy that introduces a full general rates remission to each eligible property with a new residential development build completed from 1 July 2020.
To be eligible, the developments must satisfy all planning and building requirements and Council must receive the completed application form, Intention to Build Incentive Scheme Remission. The remission will only be approved once the build is complete. From July, this scheme will be available to all new builds with the value of $130,000 or above.
Approved applications will be granted a three-year general rate remission. Remissions will not be applied retrospectively to developments completed prior to 1 July 2020. Where applicants are also eligible for the Tasmanian Governments First Homeowner Grant of $20,000 for new home construction and provide evidence of that grant to Council, they will be eligible for an additional year of remission. This would total a remission of four years of general rates.
General Manager, David Midson said: “With this scheme Council will be supporting the economic growth of the region post Covid-19, we will be directly supporting construction workers, but indirectly all businesses on the West Coast. Importantly this remission lets people, especially first homebuilders, know we want them to come here to live and join our community.”
Mayor Vickers said: “It is our hope that this substantial remission will encourage new builds and increase the population in our region. It has long been known that the West Coast provides a unique opportunity to those attempting to break into the housing market and we know this incentive will make moving to the West Coast to live and work an even more attractive idea. We have a welcoming community with a fantastic and unique natural landscape, unlike anything else in Australia.”
To apply from July 1 2020, please submit your application to the General Manager, decisions on eligibility of applications for remission will be made at the General Manager’s discretion.
- Email: wcc@westcoast.tas.gov.au (ATTN: General Manager)
- Post: PO Box 63, Queenstown TAS 7467