NO-GO ZONES FOR NEW ADULT STORES

New adult stores in Queensland will be banned within 200m of ‘sensitive uses’ such as schools and churches under proposed new planning regulations announced today.

Acting Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas said new state provisions would be drafted by March in consultation with key stakeholders.

“These are legitimate businesses but we want to make sure they’re sensibly located – away from schools and childcare centres,” Mr Lucas said.

“Earlier this year, communities in Proserpine and the Gold Coast expressed concerns about new adult stores opening near a school and a youth park.

“Although isolated, these concerns are nonetheless valid and so I requested a review of the locations of adult stores in Queensland.”

The review was conducted in consultation with a reference group including representatives from local government, adult retailers and parents and citizens groups, who will also be consulted on the draft provisions.

“Our adult stores are already the most tightly regulated in the country, in terms of what they can and can’t sell,” Mr Lucas.

“Under the provisions, development of new adult stores would not be allowed within 200m -measured by the shortest pedestrian or vehicular route - of a sensitive use.

”The list of ‘sensitive uses’ - facilities or places regularly frequented by children - will be finalised during consultation with key stakeholders.

“The public will be given the chance to comment on the draft provisions before they are finalised.

“When they take effect, the new state planning regulatory provisions will be standard provisions for local governments in relation to adult store locations. Effectively that means in the absence of any council changes to their planning schemes these measures will be law.

“Councils will be able to modify them within their planning schemes, in line with local community attitudes and surrounding land uses.

“For example, councils may specify a greater or lesser separation distance, or add to or reduce the list of ‘sensitive uses’, or remove the provisions altogether.

“But as with all changes to planning schemes the public would have a chance to comment on them and they would be subject to State Government approval.

“This is about giving local communities choice,” Mr Lucas said.

“Different communities may have different expectations and we want councils to have the power to choose.”

Existing adult stores will not be affected by the proposed state provisions.

Prior to the council amalgamations in March this year, only around one in ten councils stipulated the location, visual amenity and/or accessibility of adult stores.

According to the Adult Retailers Association of Queensland, the state has more adult stores than any other jurisdiction in Australia, with the number of stores doubling in Queensland in the five years to 2007, to 137.

“The proposed state planning regulatory provisions are timely given the recent spike in the number of adult stores in Queensland and the likelihood of more in future as our population grows,” Mr Lucas said.

“We’re not suggesting adult stores be banished to industrial areas but we need to strike a balance between responding to community sensitivities and allowing legitimate businesses to operate without disadvantaging them.”

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 0419 757 868