Council’s draft regional planning scheme proceeds to final checkpoint

Toowoomba Regional Council’s draft regional planning scheme was given approval to proceed to final checks by the state government at a special meeting held today at City Hall.

The draft scheme has been modified in response to several issues raised in the 713 submissions from the public, that council received during the public consultation period.

Changes to the draft planning scheme include: 

Mining

• Removing all mining applications that have not been approved from the draft planning scheme maps

• Only showing road infrastructure that exists or has a commitment from council to be constructed

• Only showing existing gas and petroleum pipelines and high voltage powerlines

Heritage

• Making the demolition/removal of a heritage or character place impact assessable (which means all applications will be publicly advertised)

• Only supporting the demolition/removal of heritage and character places where they are structurally unsound and economically unviable to repair or where it can be shown that they have no heritage or character value

• Strengthening the requirements for new development in heritage and character areas to ensure that it is sympathetic with the area

• Removal of the neighbourhood character overlay from areas outside of Toowoomba

Charlton Wellcamp

• Removing the ‘buffer’ from all adjoining and adjacent land to the Charlton Wellcamp Enterprise Precinct

• Removing all reference to noxious and hazardous industry

• Creating an area of Medium Impact Industry approximately 500m deep along the south side of Toowoomba Cecil Plains Road.

Next week all submitters will be advised in writing of council’s decision, including details of changes to the draft planning scheme.

People seeking further advice about their submissions can call 131 872 to speak to a council planner.

Council will now give the Minister for Local Government and Planning written notice containing a summary of all the issues raised in the submissions and how they were dealt with.

During its final round of checks, the state government is able to propose further changes to the draft scheme prior to adopted by council.

The draft scheme will be adopted in February 2012, and be operational by March 2012.