Central Highlands Regional Council continues to be committed to a dynamic planning scheme was the theme of a report presented at Tuesday’s council meeting in Blackwater.
Mayor Cr Kerry Hayes said that it is a long-held myth that the planning scheme is set solid for 10 years, but this is far from true.
‘Continual improvement, building quality infrastructure and finding the balance of sustainable economic development is the basis of good planning,’ he said.
‘Periodically reviewing our planning scheme ensures that it’s relevant to current policies, economic growth opportunities and community expectations.
‘Community input and commentary to the existing scheme is always welcome and gives us direction to look at what amendments might be required and to manage expectation around deliverable timeframes.
‘It helps us identify where amendments are practical to exploit economic development opportunities and also to protect existing assets, as we have seen recently with the temporary local planning instrument (TLPI) for renewable energy facilities.
‘This TLPI was made to protect irrigated land from the development of renewable energy facilities and was approved by the Queensland Government,’ the mayor explained.
One planning scheme amendment presented to councillors this week included changes to flood mapping after recent flood modelling research has provided new data.
‘This particular amendment will advance development in a flood hazard area and provide a long-term solution for land filling in this area,’ Cr Hayes said.
‘It’s a great example of how a flexible planning scheme moves with the times.’