Have your say on proposed Planning Scheme Amendments

Whitsunday Regional Council is updating our Regional Planning Scheme!

Under this Amendment there will be two key changes:

• An update to the Development Manual, to comply with new Australian Standards
• Minor grammar changes to the document

Planning Scheme Policy – Development Manual Amendment

The Development Manual is a Planning Scheme Policy within Schedule 6 of the Planning Scheme, which sets out engineering design standards for development. The proposed amendments are of a technical engineering nature and include updates to industry standards, the removal of standard drawings and refinement of wording. The entire Development Manual has been updated to ensure compliance with Australian Standards. To view the document, click on the link on the right-hand side called 'Development Manual V3.6.'

Administrative Planning Scheme Amendment

Administrative Amendments to the Planning Scheme seek to improve the communication of policy intent, grammar and updated definitions to be in accordance with the Planning Regulation 2017. There are no changes to Council’s policy or intentions under the Planning Scheme as a result of this Amendment.

Have your say

Council is looking for your input before we finalise the Amendments.

View the Planning Scheme changes here or in person at the Bowen, Collinsville, Cannonvale or Proserpine Customer Service Centres.

You can also mail submissions to PO Box 104 Proserpine, Queensland 4800, or email to planning.submissions@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au.

Submission guidelines:

For a properly made submission to be considered under the legislation - please include your name, address, signature and send in your submission by 5pm, 29 October 2018.

To download a copy of the submission form, please click here

Council recently made small changes to the administrative amendments made public within Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 12 September 2018, following discussions with the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning. These changes generally return to their original wording, including:

• a statement of compliance with State Planning Policy July 2017 – Planning Scheme will be made compliant with July 2017 SPP following the next major amendment;
• Rural zone code 6.2.16.2 (3)(i) – re-inserted ‘development is not to occur on land with a slope greater than 15%’; and
• Table 9.4.7.3.3 Minimum on-site parking requirements – Rooming accommodation requirements for an Ambulance shifted to service vehicle column.

Did you know…. A Major Amendment is Coming Soon!

A Major Amendment to the Planning Scheme will be undertaken in 2019, with a separate consultation period at this time.

In 2016 Council consulted with the community on the development of the Planning Scheme, and from this feedback there were several key outcomes. During the next consultation period in 2019, Council will be looking for feedback on these outcomes to make sure all community concerns and needs have been captured. Some of the amendments we will be consulting on include:

• Re-zoning requests;
• Airlie Beach Local Plan;
• Bowen (Boat Harbour) Local Plan;
• Dwelling house design outcomes;
• Minor amendments to the Strategic Framework;
• Improvements to environmental protection via Healthy waters code and Biodiversity, waterways and wetlands code;
• Updates to Local Heritage mapping;
• Updates to the state mapping;
• and other minor amendments.

Council will provide more information on this soon.

Contact us

If you have any enquiries about the Planning Scheme amendments, please contact Council’s Strategic Planning Branch on (07) 4945 0263 or email us at 'planning.submissions@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au'.