The Cairns City Precincts Urban Regeneration Project aims to stimulate infill CBD housing through targeted planning that takes into account wide ranging issues that impact liveability.

It seeks to develop a roadmap and precinct plans to facilitate investment and the delivery of infill, diverse housing and improved amenity and liveability within Cairns CBD and two neighbouring precincts: the Major Events Centre (Barlow Park and Cairns Showgrounds) and the health precinct (Cairns Hospital and JCU Health and Innovation Precinct).

The project will produce a roadmap of costed projects and policy recommendations to address:

• urban consolidation with well-located, diverse housing supply and quality public spaces
• opportunities for heat reduction, improved urban canopy and access to green space
• connectivity, walkability, accessibility and safety
• resilience and hazard mitigation
• economic and social vibrancy that reflects the community’s diversity.

It strongly aligns with work underway across Council including Major Events Precinct master planning, Towards 2050 and City Centre masterplan initiatives. It also complements Council’s existing efforts to provide additional housing in the CBD through the Development and Incentives policy, which waives headworks charges for high quality infill development in targeted areas.