Brisbane Region Environment Council
Citizens First Aid Kit
for the Integrated Planning Act 1997
DRAFT Outline
Contents
The new planning schemes
• This section will deal with the process is for developing new planning schemes.
• This section will also detail the legislative requirement of the Act in what should be considered in a planning scheme.
Example
Under the Integrated Planning Act, Town Plans, Strategic Plans and Development Control Plans are all included in what is to be known as a "Planning Scheme". All local governments will need to develop a planning scheme within five years.
The Planning Scheme must consider "core matters" which includes: land use and development; infrastructure, valuable features and the State, Regional and local dimensions of such matters. Valuable features is the section of the planning scheme that will cover a lot of the environmental issues.
How to participate
• This section will contain information about how and when to participate in the development of new planning schemes.
Example Opportunities for consultation required by the Act
The local government needs to develop a statement of intent about its new planning scheme.
This proposed intent should go to the public for consultation for 40 working days.
After the local government has considered all submissions it must receive responses from the State Government about State interests.
The final proposed planning scheme should then go out to 60 working days of public consultation.
Once again, after the local government has considered all submissions it must receive responses from the State Government about State interests.
At each point in the process the public has the opportunities to lobby their State and Local members about the scheme.
You and your "Desired Environmental Outcomes"
• This section will contain guidelines on how people and groups can define "Desired Environmental Outcomes" for their area or community.
EXAMPLE Some General Environmental Outcomes
Air
Urban Form should minimise the direct and indirect adverse impacts on the environment
Transport systems should contribute to improvements in air quality
Other Air Quality Strategies
Water
Protection of Water production areas Forests, Catchments,
Water Storage areas including Waterways, Soil, Aquifers, Dams, Tanks and other structures
Management of Water consumption trends, demand reduction(Negalitres)
Water Quality sources of pollution, prevention programs, management programs
Land
Land Availability for different land uses,
Quality or suitability of land,
Impact Assessment of construction, use and redevelopment of land for different uses
Construction Impacts can include water, air and soil degradation and destruction of biodiversity both directly and indirectly through required infrastructure.
Usage Impacts can include water pollution, biodiversity impacts, noise and air pollution, maintenance costs, specific contaminants and risks.
Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Ecological processes such as soil, water, nutrients and atmospheric cycles need broad areas of land and a share of all natural resources in order to keep functioning.
Broad Nature Conservation Areas : the conservation of at least 30% of land area in some form of conservation agreements. This figure, 30%, should be used as a guide at all scales of planning ie 30% of Council area, 30% of individual catchments, 30% of each class of land system and ecosystems etc. This figure is used by the State Government for determining when an ecosystem is "Of Concern".
Resource Materials
This section will contain
• resource materials on best practice planning models from Qld and elsewhere
• directories of local groups
• where to get environment information.
Example Sources of Information
Groups Southside Environmental Education Network: Directory of Groups,
Regional Conservation Councils
Wildlife Wildlife Preservation Society Qld and Branches, Department of Environment
Qld examples Local Government Association Qld, Queensland Conservation Council and the Environmental Defenders Office
Water Quality Local Catchment Co-ordinating Committees, Brisbane River Management Group
Air Quality Department of Environment, Clean Air Society, Smogbusters
Tree Clearing Queensland Conservation Council, Queensland Dept of Natural Resources
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