The new South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017, ShapingSEQ, came into effect on Friday 11 August 2017.
ShapingSEQ sets a framework for growth within the region roughly bounded by Noosa to the north, Toowoomba to the west and the NSW border to the south.
The plan provides a regional framework for growth management and introduces a fifty-year vision that strives to achieve sustainable growth, build a globally competitive economy and produce high-quality living. The plan also maintains a twenty-five-year planning framework that underpins its planning strategies.
Jensen Bowers Senior Planner, Andrew McLean, has closely followed the development and evolution of this plan, and has said: “While there has been some new land supply added to the urban footprint, the main focus is on infill development and urban consolidation. This will provide diversity of housing where the demand is to take advantage of existing infrastructure and protect our natural greenspaces”.
Some key changes under this plan include:
- Expected population growth of 2 million people and 1 million jobs by 2041.
- ShapingSEQ identifies future expansion land supply in the Urban Footprint on a 60 per cent consolidation and 40 per cent expansion supply ratio. This replaces the previous plan’s 50/50 ratio.
- Beyond the twenty-five-year planning framework, ShapingSEQ estimates that the 60/40 consolidation to expansion rate may potentially change to 70/30 or 80/20 dependant on any future relevant findings in the SEQ Growth Monitoring Program.
- The Urban Footprint contains areas that are yet to be developed and the plan estimates that up to about 70 per cent of these fragmented areas overall will be developed by 2041 as part of accommodating the dwelling supply benchmarks.
- Promotion of greater housing choice. This is illustrated through the ‘missing middle’ style housing, which includes row and terrace housing, townhouses and low-rise apartments.
- Large residential expansion areas – dwelling capacity expected to remain in 2041. Ripley Valley (30,000), Beerwah East (13,000), Greater Flagstone (19,000) and Caboolture West (9,000).
- The Urban Footprint covers around 327,500 hectares of land or about 14 per cent of the region. An additional 8,200 hectares has been added to planned growth areas.
For more information on ShapingSEQ, please visit the Queensland Government’s State Planning website.
Should you have any questions on how ShapingSEQ affects you, please call Andrew McLean on 07 3852 1771 to discuss further.
Jensen Bowers Senior Planner, Andrew McLean