Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning November 2016 State Planning Policy Draft for consultation Foreword Queensland is experiencing We recognise the importance of a new era in planning. holistically integrating land use and infrastructure planning in delivering New planning laws, commencing in economic, social and environmental mid-2017, are helping to secure the benefits for Queensland. We have liveability, sustainability and prosperity therefore included this as a new state of our communities, for both current interest for planning and development. and future generations. The State Planning Policy now identifies We are in the midst of an exciting 17 state interests in land use planning period of growth in Queensland and it and development categorised into five is important that we provide certainty themes relating to: and clarity about the way that we are • liveable communities and housing managing these changes. This is what the State Planning Policy is all about. • economic growth The State Planning Policy is the primary • environment and heritage state planning instrument in our • safety and resilience to hazards planning system. It provides a clear and comprehensive expression of the • infrastructure. policies needed to ensure that planning By clearly expressing performance in Queensland is outcomes focussed, outcomes for each state interest, efficient, and accountable. the State Planning Policy promotes Across Queensland, we are responding transparent and accountable decision to the challenges and opportunities of making and confidence in the planning growth through smart planning. Key to system. Our performance-based this is emphasising the importance of planning system encourages and facilitating affordable living and housing responds to change by allowing for outcomes through the planning system. innovation and flexibility in plan making. We are serious about putting At its core, this new approach to planning sustainability and climate change on is about being responsive to changing the planning agenda, while promoting community needs and creating great great urban design outcomes for our places for Queenslanders to live, work built environment. and raise their families. Well-designed places and spaces increasingly underpin the economic and social success of our communities. That is why we are ensuring that our places are designed to reflect the way that people interact with their The Honourable Jackie Trad MP communities and not the other Deputy Premier, Minister for way around. Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment Contents Part A: Introduction and context 2 Part B: Application and operation 6 Managing competing state interests 8 Supporting mapping 9 SPP guidelines 9 Part C: Purpose and guiding principles 10 Securing a liveable, sustainable and prosperous Queensland 11 The guiding principles 12 Table 1: The guiding principles 12 Part D: The state interests 14 Part E: State interest policies 18 Planning for liveable communities and housing 19 Housing supply and diversity 20 Liveable communities 22 Planning for economic growth 25 Agriculture 26 Development and construction 28 Mining and extractive resources 30 Tourism 33 Planning for the environment and heritage 34 Biodiversity 34 Coastal environment 36 Cultural heritage 38 Water quality 40 Planning for safety and resilience to hazards 43 Emissions and hazardous activities 44 Natural hazards, risk and resilience 46 Planning for infrastructure 49 Energy and water supply 50 Infrastructure integration 51 Transport infrastructure 53 Strategic airports and aviation facilities 54 Strategic ports 58 Part F: Glossary 60 Part G: Appendices 70 Appendix 1 – SPP Interactive Mapping System 70 Appendix 2 – Water quality design objectives 74 DraftState State PlanningPlanning PolicyPolicy PAGEpage 11 page 2 Part A Introduction Part A and context and context Introduction The State Planning Policy The SPP also outlines development (SPP) is a key component assessment requirements for local government to apply in circumstances of Queensland’s planning where there is a need to regulate certain system. The SPP expresses the development if a planning scheme does state’s interests in land use not yet appropriately integrate the SPP. planning and development. State involvement in development Promoting these state interests, assessment is only where it is essential. through the plan making and For example, where a matter is of development decisions of state particular importance, has a level of risk or requires state expertise. The and local government, will help SPP is relevant when defining state to secure a liveable, sustainable development assessment roles and and prosperous Queensland. assessment benchmarks outlined in the Planning Regulation and State A state interest is defined under the Development Assessment Provisions. Planning Act 2016 as an interest that the Planning Minister considers: The Act provides for a performance- based approach to planning in • affects an economic or environmental Queensland. Performance-based interest of the state or a part of planning seeks to assess development the state by focusing on the outcomes to be • affects the interest of ensuring that achieved, and providing certainty about the purpose of the Act is achieved. one or more ways to achieve these outcomes, while expressly providing for Under the Act, each local government flexibility and innovation in achieving planning scheme needs to set out the outcomes by other means. This integrated state, regional and local approach provides the flexibility to planning and development assessment assess each development proposal on policies. The SPP supports this by its merits against benchmarks set by setting down the state interests that state and local government. apply to plan making, and that should be given effect through each local government planning scheme. Draft State Planning Policy page 3 Community values, Local, state and Commonwealth needs and aspirations Government policies Planning context Economy Community Environment State Planning Policy Requirements for plan making (i.e. guide to preparing policy) Regional plans give effect to: effect give Development requirements State Development Planning schemes State Planning Planning Act and Regulations Act Planning (i.e. built form and Assessment and local government Regulatory 1 land use outcomes) Provisions infrastructure plans Provisions Decisions Development assessment Post approval Development delivery Figure 1: Queensland planning framework 1 The State Planning Regulatory Provisions will be replaced by regulation upon the commencement of the Planning Act 2016 page 4 Document structure Part A: Introduction and context Part A The SPP is structured as follows: • Part A: Introduction and context – Part B: Application and operation the SPP and explains the role of SPP in Queensland’s planning system. and context Introduction • Part B: Application and operation Part C: Purpose and guiding principles – explains how the SPP applies in different circumstances under the Act. Part D: The state interests • Part C: Purpose and guiding principles – explains the SPP’s objective and establishes a series of Liveable communities and housing linked principles that must underpin • Housing supply and diversity plan making in Queensland. • Liveable communities • Part D: The state interests – identifies state interests in land use planning and development. Economic growth • Part E: State interest policies • Agriculture • Development and construction – establishes the policies for the • Mining and extractive resources state interests, organised into five • Tourism broad themes. • Part F: Glossary – provides a list of abbreviations and terms that assist Environment and heritage readers interpret the SPP. Part E: • Biodiversity • Coastal environment • Part G: Appendices – provides State interest policies • Cultural heritage additional information on mapping • Water quality and water quality objectives. Safety and resilience to hazards • Emissions and hazardous activities • Natural hazards, risk and resilience Infrastructure • Energy and water supply • Infrastructure integration • Transport infrastructure • Strategic airports and aviation facilities • Strategic ports Part F: Glossary Part G: Appendices Figure 2: Document structure Draft State Planning Policy page 5 page 6 Part B Application Part B and operation and operation Application State interests expressed in the • part C (purpose and guiding principles) SPP need to be appropriately • part D (state interests) integrated into planning • part E (state interest policies). instruments made under the Act. When the Planning Minister approves a The SPP applies when: planning scheme, this approval is given on the basis that local government (1) making or amending a local has considered how best to integrate planning instrument state interests in the local context. For example, it is possible that not all (2) making or amending a regional plan state interests, such as the coastal (3) designating premises for environment state interest, apply to infrastructure each local government area. It is also possible that the SPP, when updated, (4) local government is assessing may result in a state interest no longer particular development applications being appropriately integrated. if its planning scheme has not yet appropriately integrated the SPP Where a state interest has not been state interest policies that relate appropriately integrated into a local