DEVELOPERS, councillors and community members have welcomed a Southern Downs Regional Council decision to freeze infrastructure charges.

Facing a public backlash on the issue heading into Wednesday's general meeting, councillors voted against raising the charges by as much as 50% in the new financial year.

The decision means developers subdividing one residential lot into five will continue to pay a $40,000 infrastructure charge, while developers subdividing one industrial lot into five will continue not paying a charge.

With the decision now behind the town, conversation has begun about a positive way forward for development in the region.

Developer Graeme Collins said he believed the council decision was "definitely a positive" for development.

"I think it's nice to have a bit of an open debate on it," he said.

Among the most vocal in the council discussions was former town planner Cr Jamie Mackenzie, who has set the record straight on what the council could do from here.

"We sensibly resolved to freeze current infrastructure charges until we come up with a sensible system whereby charges can be reduced where they are based on fact," Cr Mackenzie said.

"We must not undercharge for future infrastructure but we need not overcharge - let's reduce charges based on some agreed logic."

As the council prepares to undertake consultation with the development community, Mr Collins has highlighted what he'd like to see happen as the council consults with developers.

"What I'd like to see going forward is that overhead charges for sewerage and water are used exactly for that," he said.

"They need to be a bit more open about where the headworks charges is being spent. "If they collect, say $25,000, in sewerage headworks charges for a small subdivision, that amount of money should be used for that."

During debate on the decision, concerns were expressed by councillors about ratepayers footing the bill.

Cr Neil Meiklejohn said he believed the charges were still low and an increase would allow for a greater co-payment from the developers.

"A freeze would mean industrial and commercial developers don't pay once cent to help support infrastructure," he said.

Despite the concerns, Mr Collins said there was no burden on ratepayers at all.

"A lot of ratepayers think the council pays for all headworks charges and does all the works and that ratepayers are the ones paying," he said.

"Developers have to pay for everything."