Delivering ShapingSEQ 2023

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples successfully lived with and managed their lands, seas, waters, air and resources prior to British colonisation of Queensland.

South East Queensland is home to many First Nations peoples. Each holds deep connections to their ancestral lands and waters. These communities play a critical role in protecting, managing and enhancing the region’s natural and cultural resources.

ShapingSEQ 2023 recognises both Traditional Owners, and historical and contemporary First Nations peoples as critical stakeholders in the delivery of ShapingSEQ 2023 and the development of all future SEQ regional plans. The knowledge, culture, traditions and aspirations of First Nations peoples will be reflected through the ongoing delivery of ShapingSEQ 2023, providing a partnership approach for advice and shared decision-making for South East Queensland.

The Queensland Government commits to engage early and continually to build lasting relationships and provide opportunities to acknowledge our First Nations peoples, who have planned and managed Country for millennia in a sustainable way.

ShapingSEQ 2023 sets out to build a First Nations engagement framework through Priority Action 7.

The Federal Government sets national policies directly relevant to SEQ around housing, infrastructure, environment, the economy and immigration. The Federal Government also provides funding and property-related financial measures such as taxation.

The 2022 National Housing Accord and 2023 National Planning Reform Blueprint set out to unlock more homes to meet Australia’s long-term diverse housing needs. The National Planning Reform Blueprint requires planning, zoning, land release and other reforms to meet housing supply targets. This includes:

• streamlining approval pathways
• promoting medium and high-density housing in well located areas
• reforms that support rapid delivery of social housing and affordable housing
• phased introduction of inclusionary planning
• rectifying gaps in housing design guidance
• improving community consultation processes.

In support of such reforms, the Federal Government has brought forward funding tied to achievement of housing delivery targets.

The Federal Government also plays an important role in funding major transport infrastructure. Planning and delivery of the projects and initiatives on the priority region-shaping Infrastructure Priority List | Infrastructure Australia to support growth will draw on funding sources across all levels of government. The Federal Government will play a major role in planning for and delivering infrastructure to support growth across SEQ.

In relation to environmental policy, the Federal Government plays a key role in bioregional planning. On behalf of the minister, the Federal Government  is responsible for administering environmental approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999.

The Queensland Government sets the legislative framework for land-use planning. This includes state planning instruments and regional plans. The Queensland Government is responsible for:

• state-wide statutory policy settings in the State Planning Policy
• assessing all local government planning instruments such as planning schemes, planning scheme policies and Temporary Local Planning Instruments (TLPIs) made by local government to ensure alignment with ShapingSEQ and State Planning Policy.
• assessing development applications with a state interest
• leading and delivering residential and mixed-use property projects including large greenfield communities and complex urban sites that support renewal
• delivering Region-Shaping Infrastructure projects that support growth
• unlocking land to facilitate housing and well-planned community outcomes.
• providing grant funding to local governments
• delivering social housing
• monitoring and reporting on the progress of ShapingSEQ 2023.

Queensland Government agencies are responsible for delivering government legislation and policy for state interests set out in the State Planning Policy. ShapingSEQ 2023 provides a framework to work closely with agencies on state interests including housing, regional development, infrastructure, transport, economic development, energy, health and the environment.

Local governments play a critical role in delivering place-based planning through statutory and non-statutory plans. Local governments have the primary role of assessing development in accordance with statutory plans. Planning schemes integrate state interests into local planning and development assessment policies and processes. SEQ local governments have a key responsibility in delivering the strategies set out in ShapingSEQ 2023.

In support of local planning schemes, local governments prepare Local Government Infrastructure Plans. These are an important part of the planning framework and form the statutory plan to align local infrastructure with growth. Local governments need to work closely with the Queensland Government to ensure planning schemes are appropriately aligned with the policy outcomes sought by ShapingSEQ 2023 and are not inconsistent with the SEQ regulatory provisions in the Planning Regulation. Local governments also play a critical role in the planning and delivery of both local and state transport infrastructure to support growth across SEQ.

The development industry is the primary entity for the construction and delivery of housing, as well as other infrastructure and employment land, in line with relevant government policy and legislation.

Housing delivery is largely market-driven. To successfully achieve the policy outcomes sought by ShapingSEQ 2023, there will be a need for the development industry to adapt existing delivery models and develop new ones, including developing innovative gentle density housing products and delivery partnerships and mechanisms.

There’s a short-term need for industry and stakeholders to collectively address factors outside of planning that influence and impact the development industry. This includes cost escalations and labour shortages.

Utility providers play an important role in delivering water and sewer services to support urban development. This is managed through integrating planning and delivery through NetServ planning and associated development approval processes. The aim is to align infrastructure and land-use delivery.

This key role  will be further reinforced through the implementation of ShapingSEQ 2023. Utility providers must work closely with the Queensland Government and local governments to further align the planning and delivery of water and wastewater networks.

To minimise environmental impacts and maximise community amenity, environmental groups must work closely with the state and local governments to align planning and environmental protection policy. Striking a balance between new urban development and environmental preservation fosters resilient and vibrant communities, promotes environmentally responsible infrastructure and transport planning, reduces natural hazards, and protects areas of environmental significance.

Local community groups capture the wide range of opinions and interests in the community and provide a united voice to Governments on matters that pertain to development and urban planning. They act as a resource centre and help to facilitate information sharing among the community. Community groups need to continue working with local governments to increase awareness of community needs and foster inclusive decision-making models. This will ensure improved planning and place-making to meet the future housing and lifestyle needs of everyone.

Local communities engage with planning for the future of their neighbourhoods. Regional plans set the preferred growth pattern of SEQ with key policies to support planning at the local level. Long-term planning and growth management has the difficult task of balancing existing community values while managing development, infrastructure and environmental challenges that come with increased population growth. We need to keep working with the community to increase awareness of how future housing needs can be met while delivering on community expectations.