Redland City Council Urges Comprehensive Overhaul of Regional Development Plan
Redland City Council has formally outlined its key priorities and policy positions for the Queensland Government to consider during the ongoing review of the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2023, known as ShapingSEQ 2023.
Once completed, ShapingSEQ will become the statutory regional planning document for south-east Queensland, requiring Council’s City Plan to align with its provisions. The Council is advocating for the regional plan review to cover all 17 State interests, not just the five currently proposed—housing supply, agriculture, development and construction, mining and extractive resources, and tourism.
Cr Rowanne McKenzie, Planning and Regulation portfolio representative, emphasized at this week’s General Meeting that a comprehensive review is needed. “A full review would ensure that the pursuit of housing delivery and economic growth considers other State interests that are important to the Redlands Coast community, such as environmental protection, infrastructure coordination and hazard resilience,” she said.
Cr McKenzie warned that limiting the review could exclude critical issues fundamental to achieving sustainable, safe, and fiscally responsible growth across the region. She stressed the importance of maintaining the current urban footprint, wherever possible, to protect regional landscapes and rural production areas, and to deliver a more compact urban form.
The Council will reaffirm its position that Redland City has sufficient capacity for new dwellings within its existing boundaries, making an expansion of the urban footprint or the identification of new growth areas unnecessary. However, Cr McKenzie noted the need for further investigation into land supply for industrial and employment purposes, suggesting any shortfall should be addressed within the current urban footprint, including areas like the Southern Thornlands Priority Development Area (PDA).
Infrastructure planning and delivery also form a significant part of Council’s submission. “Infrastructure must keep pace with development,” Cr McKenzie stated. “It is not possible to accommodate the future growth envisioned in ShapingSEQ 2023 without a commitment from the Queensland Government to upgrade the requisite infrastructure networks.”
Other issues in Council’s submission include koala protection, community engagement, population projections, and considerations for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and North Stradbroke Island, as well as a review of the Planning Scheme.
The review process will also see a Council planning officer seconded part-time to the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, to provide strategic input into key policy decisions. Community feedback on the revised plan will be sought before the final document is released.
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