Reshaping Moreton Bay Region: Comprehensive Planning Review Underway
Published 23 June 2021
Council has immediately set about the review of its planning scheme, just five days after delivering the 2021-22 Budget.
Today’s unanimous vote to establish the ‘Reshaping our Region’s Planning Work Portfolio’ articulates actions to be undertaken over the next five years that will address community concerns about development impacts, lifestyle protections, and ensuring Council’s planning scheme responds to Moreton Bay Region’s changing needs.
Mayor Peter Flannery said work will be progressively undertaken over the next five years, starting with the roll out of the new Neighbourhood Planning Program.
“This initiative is urgently needed if we are to protect the unique characteristics of our existing communities in the face of booming population growth,” Mayor Flannery said.
“Deputy Mayor Denise Sims has been a strong advocate of the need for Neighbourhood Planning and thanks to her advocacy, Kallangur and Dakabin will be the first suburbs to trial this initiative.
“It’s one of many actions that will be undertaken as part of the ‘Reshaping our Region’s Planning Work Portfolio’ approved today - which outlines short, medium, and long-term actions over the next five years to ensure our planning scheme better reflects our community’s expectations.
“This is in direct response to local calls for reviews into things like building heights, car park ratios and Next Generation housing, which will all be included in the review and more.
“By getting on the front foot now we will ensure we have enough greenspaces, wildlife habitat and community infrastructure like parks and playgrounds, so we can continue to enjoy our lifestyle while catering for that growth.”
The ‘Reshaping our Region’s Planning Work Portfolio’ is comprised of six separate programs:
- Planning Scheme 2016 Reset Program.
- Great Places Program.
- Neighbourhood Planning Program.
- Growth Areas Program.
- Regional Planning Program; and
- New Planning Scheme Review Program.
Cr Sims (Div 7) said the Neighbourhood Planning Project trial in Dakabin and Kallangur would be a great outcome not only for her division but the entire region.
“I’ve spent the last two terms bringing the community together through great planning initiatives like parks, playgrounds, and footpaths but I want to ensure locals feel included in our broader planning processes,” she said.
“Enacting a formal Neighbourhood Plan will take this to a strategic level, it will be a comprehensive response to the concerns we’ve heard from our community.
“Council staff have already undertaken months’ worth of research and will now begin consulting with locals on a draft Neighbourhood Plan in Kallangur and Dakabin.
“Every resident in the area will receive a newsletter outlining what to expect through the Neighbourhood Planning process and from July 12 we’ll be calling for nominations to be part of our Community Reference Group, which will comprise of local business owners, residents, and people who work in the area.
“The strength of our Neighbourhood Plan will rely entirely on the potency of the feedback we receive, so I urge everyone to get involved.
“We already know a lot about what people don’t want, this is a chance to tell us what you do want like 'An identifiable town centre' in our area. So be ambitious and dream big, let’s see what’s possible with modern urban design principles!”
Under the State Government’s South East Queensland Plan Moreton Bay Regional Council is required to deliver 88,000 new dwellings over the next two decades.
For more information visit: Reshaping our region’s planning - Moreton Bay Regional Council