Statutory regional plans to strengthen Queensland’s regions: Fraser

23 August 2007

Statutory regional plans to strengthen Queensland’s regions: Fraser

Queensland’s growing regions will be strengthened through a roll out of statutory regional plans across the State.

Local Government and Planning Minister Andrew Fraser said statutory regional plans would now become the pre-eminent planning instrument to manage planning and development across Queensland.

“The award-winningstatutory South East Queensland Regional Plan has been very successful in managing growth and development in Australia’s fastest-growing area since its release in June 2005,” Mr Fraser said.

“A statutory regional plan is also currently being developed for Far North Queensland to provide similar guidance on the management of development in that boomingregion.

“This reform will substantially improve the effectiveness of regional planning in Queensland. A single but flexible statutory framework will enable regional plans to effectively respond to the specific needs and circumstances of each region.”

Mr Fraser announced the roll out today as part of an extensive reform program for planning and development, at the launch of Planning for a Prosperous Queensland – A Reform Agenda for Planning and Development in the Smart State, which documents the major review of the Integrated Planning Act.

“The review charts the path for an overhaul of Queensland planning legislation

“As Australia’s fastest-growing state, Queensland needs a system of planning and development that is responsive to its rapidly changing needs, while also delivering high-quality lifestyle.

“The decline in housing affordability has placed a significant financial and social stress on Queenslanders and these reforms will ease the pressure by reducing costs through more efficient development assessment processes.

“It’s about a more transparent and equitable infrastructure charging regime and greater access to inexpensive dispute resolution processes.

“Improving the operation of the State’s planning and development system and infrastructure funding arrangements will also help to improve housing affordability – in keeping with the objectives of the Government’s Queensland Housing Affordability Strategy.”

Mr Fraser said community and industry consultation had supported the need for the State Government to overhaul Queensland’s planning and development system to improve the decline in housing affordability.

He said the key reforms included:

·Streamlining and simplifying the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS)

·Transparent and equitable infrastructure planning and charging

·Improved community engagement in planning scheme preparation

·Clearer and more effective State planning instruments

·More effective State planning policies;

·Comprehensive statutory regional planning

·More accessible dispute resolution

·Better stakeholder communication and supporting information

“Growth is phenomenal in our regional cities, as shown by the analysis of the Census data the government release yesterday so it’s vital that we get the correct and clear planning processes in place,” Mr Fraser said.

“Part of that planning is the essential reform of our local government system which is now underway.”

Mr Fraser said details of the reforms were available in the Government’s report Planning for a Prosperous Queensland: A reform agenda for planning and development in the Smart State.

For more information on the reforms, or to obtain a copy of the report, visit www.ipa.qld.gov.au.

Media contact Chris Taylor or Chris Ward 3227 8825