Planning and Development Services - Budget

The planning budget this year is setting a new course for greater community participation, sustainable development outcomes and the raising of standards in the provision of fundamental community and environmental infrastructure.

Planning and Development Services portfolio leader Cr Peter Marks said the $7.9million budget allocation would allow council to provide a far more regionalised level of planning, building and plumbing services leading to more sustainable urban and rural outcomes.

“The provision of essential infrastructure across the region is a priority in this budget. It will involve the adoption of consistent region-wide policies.

“A significant policy move supported in this budget is reflected in an allocation of $1.5million to develop a new Regional Planning Scheme. This will require the replacement of eight different land use planning control documents from across the region with one modern scheme by December 2011.

“The new Regional Planning Scheme will aim to achieve sustainable urban and rural development outcomes within the context of this energy and agriculturally rich region,” Cr Marks said.

Aligned with development of a regional planning scheme, council is currently reviewing over 30 different planning scheme policies from across the region.

This review enables council to meet its obligations to the community for basic urban infrastructure while complying with its legal obligations.

“Obviously a simpler and more consistent approach was needed. Council has allocated $250,000 to this process which will involve preparation of the regional
Priority Infrastructure Plan and the Infrastructure Charges Schedule by December 2011.

“Our new infrastructure charges will more accurately reflect what it costs council to deliver trunk infrastructure such as water, wastewater, roads, stormwater and parks to any proposed new development.

“They reveal the cost to the community of providing the level of infrastructure expected in a modern urban environment. They are also a fairer way to distribute these charges across the community.”

Cr Marks said services associated with guiding and planning the development of our towns and major urban areas would be improved in line with the expectations of a growing community.

“These improved services will provide support for the development industry across the region.

“However, to achieve these higher goals, an average increase in application fees of some 20 percent is included in this year’s budget. These fees have come from a very low base and even with the increase, are still below comparable cities in South East Queensland.”

Community and industry consultation will be high on the agenda for planning and development initiatives currently underway.

Cr Marks said funding had been earmarked in this budget for major consultation events and focus groups associated with developing the city's community plan and with drafting of the Regional Planning Scheme.

“This joint planning program will involve councillors, residents, business people and community groups in formulating policies and initiatives upon which future council decisions can be based. This is similar to our present CBD master planning process which is well underway.”

“The budget, whilst being financially responsible, delivers many initiatives expected of a broadly-based local authority with major regional responsibilities and obligations to provide sustainable urban and rural service delivery,” Cr Marks said.

In summary, our initiatives include:

• a region-wide heritage service,
• promotion of a sustainable housing estate at Ethan Court Toowoomba,
• a faster housing approvals service,
• streamlining internal development approval procedures
• rethinking of infrastructure funding and charging policies,
• development of a community plan
• development of a package of land use and development planning policies that will assist and foster appropriate sustainable development,
• City Centre Master Plan
• Charlton-Wellcamp Structure Plan and Infrastructure Plan and
• the widening of advisory and other development related services across the region.

“Our planning and development approach is driven by the need to ensure that this rapidly growing community continues to enjoy high standards of amenity and aesthetic qualities first envisioned and then built by the region’s original settlers.”