South East Queensland Regional Plan

South East Queensland Regional Plan
Name	South East Queensland Regional Plan
Jurisdiction	Queensland

South East Queensland Regional Plan.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan is a strategic spatial framework for planning within the south-eastern portion of the Australian state of Queensland, setting long‑term directions for growth, infrastructure, conservation and settlement across the region. The plan interfaces with statutory instruments, statutory agencies and local authorities to coordinate development, transport, environmental protection and disaster resilience across metropolitan and peri‑urban areas. It informs investment by public bodies, private developers and community organisations, and shapes relations among cities, shires and indigenous organisations across the corridor.

Overview and Purpose

The plan articulates a vision for the future of communities within the corridor that includes Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Logan, integrating goals from regional strategies such as those advanced by the Queensland Parliament, the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, and local councils including Brisbane City Council, Gold Coast City Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Ipswich City Council, Logan City Council. It aligns with national instruments like policies from the Australian Capital Territory and intergovernmental accords reflected in Council of Australian Governments discussions, while interacting with statutory regimes such as the Planning Act 2016 (Queensland) and environmental statutes enforced by the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency and judicial review at the Supreme Court of Queensland. The purpose is to manage population growth, economic productivity and ecological integrity across municipalities, regional ports, airports and transport corridors including interfaces with Brisbane Airport Corporation and the Port of Brisbane.

Geographic Scope and Context

The geographic scope spans metropolitan and peri‑urban local government areas across the Brisbane–Gold Coast–Sunshine Coast corridor, bounded by coastal estuaries, hinterland ranges and river systems such as the Brisbane River, Pine Rivers, Logan River and catchments draining the Great Dividing Range. It includes major urban centres like South Brisbane, Fortitude Valley, Surfers Paradise, Maroochydore, Robina and regional nodes including Caboolture, Redcliffe, Nambour, Warner and industrial precincts near Port of Brisbane. The plan references conservation areas and protected places administered under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland) such as parts of the Moreton Bay Marine Park, the D'Aguilar National Park and corridors adjacent to Springbrook National Park and Lamington National Park.

Policy Framework and Objectives

The plan's policy framework sets measurable objectives for settlement patterns, employment distribution, infrastructure sequencing and biodiversity corridors, and integrates priorities from bodies including the Urban Land Development Authority, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (Queensland), and regional development agencies. Objectives include concentrating growth in principal and major regional centres such as Brisbane CBD, Southport, Maroochydore CBD; supporting industry clusters around Eagle Farm, Yatala and the Health and Knowledge Precincts; and protecting environmental assets listed by agencies such as the Queensland Heritage Council and the Australian Heritage Council. It operationalises targets for housing supply, transport modal share and economic nodes referenced in white papers and strategic plans produced by authorities like Infrastructure Australia and the Productivity Commission.

Land Use, Housing and Urban Development

Land use directions prioritise compact growth through urban consolidation and transit‑oriented development in centres served by corridors such as the Clem Jones Tunnel, Gateway Motorway, Pacific Motorway (Queensland) and rail lines including the Brisbane–Gold Coast line and Sunshine Coast line. Zoning adjustments support mixed use, affordable housing and renewal in precincts like Eagle Street Pier, Charlotte Street (Brisbane), Robina Town Centre and brownfield sites in former industrial suburbs such as Woolloongabba and Rocklea. The plan interfaces with affordable housing providers, social services and housing programs administered by Department of Communities (Queensland) and non‑government organisations active in urban renewal and housing finance. It addresses rural residential change in hinterland areas such as Scenic Rim and peri‑urban pressures in growth corridors like Moreton Bay Region.

Transport and Infrastructure Planning

Transport planning coordinated under the plan links rail, bus, ferry and road investments with land use aims, relating to projects delivered by Queensland Rail, TransLink (South East Queensland), Citytrain, and port operators. Key infrastructure priorities connect to arterial projects like upgrades on the Bruce Highway, freight interfaces at Acacia Ridge Intermodal Terminal, and airport expansions at Brisbane Airport. Utilities planning involves water supply and sewerage programs managed by entities including Seqwater, Unitywater and local council water managers, while energy infrastructure interfaces with networks operated by Energex and transmission assets regulated by the Australian Energy Market Operator.

Environmental Management and Climate Change Adaptation

Environmental directions emphasise protection of wetlands, corridors and Ramsar‑listed or internationally significant sites within the region such as parts of Moreton Bay and adjacent estuarine systems, integrating science from universities like The University of Queensland, Griffith University and Queensland University of Technology and advice from research bodies including the CSIRO and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority on climate risks. The plan includes measures for coastal hazard adaptation, floodplain management in areas affected by events like the 2011 Queensland floods, and wildfire mitigation in ranges adjacent to Glass House Mountains National Park and the D'Aguilar Range. It aligns with national climate policy discussions involving the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and disaster resilience frameworks promoted by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Implementation, Governance and Monitoring

Implementation relies on partnerships among state departments, local councils, statutory authorities and indigenous landholders represented by organisations such as local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations, with delivery instruments including regional infrastructure plans, local planning schemes, priority development areas and development assessment processes administered by tribunal and court systems such as the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland. Monitoring uses population and economic data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, infrastructure performance metrics from Infrastructure Australia and environmental indicators tracked by the Queensland Audit Office and scientific institutions, with periodic reviews and amendments coordinated through ministerial processes and parliamentary oversight in Queensland Parliament.

Category:Urban planning in Australia