Legal Comment by Mark Illidge

The Southeast Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP), which created the ‘urban footprint’, has regulated Queensland's planning legislation over the past three years. The SEQRP is currently under review by the State government one year ahead of schedule.

The State Government has also released the SEQ Greenfield Land Supply Review in order to increase the short to medium term supply of greenfield land (areas of undeveloped land within the urban footprint suitable for urban development). The SEQ Greenfield Land Supply Review identifies “bring forward” greenfield sites which are intended to be "developer ready" within 12 months. Caloundra South and Palmview have been identified as "bring forward" greenfield sites. Under the Draft Local Government Growth Management Strategies, prepared by each of the three former Sunshine Coast councils, these sites were identified as ‘Greenfield Major Development Areas’ and sequenced for delivery after 2018.

Local councils have the opportunity to make a formal submission to the updated SEQRP. In response the Sunshine Coast Regional Council recently released a Growth Management Position Paper (GMPP). The GMPP provides an overall review of the three Draft Local Government Growth Management Strategies and, while supporting the principles of the three former positions, the Council also “recognises that more detailed planning and extensive assessment of the residential growth capacity and rate within the urban footprint needs to be undertaken”. The GMPP is not available for formal public comments or submissions. However, the Council are encouraging the community to “review the paper and begin forming an opinion in anticipation of the State’s public review period for the South East Queensland Regional Plan expected to be held later this year”.

The GMPP can be viewed at: www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au in the ‘Planning and Building’ section.

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