After six years of preparation, the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme was adopted by council on 24 February 2016.
The adoption of the planning scheme is a significant milestone in the amalgamation process as it is a single planning scheme that replaces the four existing schemes of the former shires of Bauhinia, Duaringa, Emerald and Peak Downs councils.
‘Rather than merging the existing planning schemes into one, the process behind the new planning scheme was to go back to basics and consider the whole region and build it from the ground up,’ said Mayor Cr Peter Maguire.
‘It works with the Central Highlands 2022 Community Plan and the Central Highlands Strategic Framework: Future Directions for Land Use Planning 2031 to deliver a land use plan to promote diversification of our economy and liveable communities.’
All new developments will be assessed under the new planning scheme from 4 March 2016 and this will shape our communities into the future.
‘Region-wide consultation sessions were held earlier this year for residents to provide input and I would like to express our appreciation to those who gave feedback and made submissions,’ Cr Maguire.
This planning scheme was approved earlier this month by Deputy Premier, the Honourable Jackie Trad M.P. subject to a number of minor conditions.
‘This is a living and evolving document that has been carefully developed to guide the development of the region sensibly and sustainably,’ Cr Maguire added.
‘I would like to particularly thank Alexis Aylward and the Strategic Planning team for their years of hard work on this project.’
A Local Government Infrastructure Plan has been incorporated into the plan to guide the roll-out of trunk infrastructure across the sewerage, water supply, parkland, transport and stormwater networks. Council also adopted the associated Charge Resolution (no. 11) 2016 that provides a mechanism for the collection of infrastructure charges to assist in the funding of this infrastructure.
The new planning scheme can be viewed online from 4 March 2016 at www.centralhighlands.qld.gov.au