Planning scheme amendments and recent projects
Proposed Planning Scheme Policy for the Branyan Local Plan Area
The Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme identifies part of Branyan as a major urban expansion area, earmarked to accommodate future urban growth. Most land within this identified growth area is included in the Emerging community zone to protect the area from premature and unplanned development until local structure planning is completed by Council.
Council has undertaken local area planning to guide the logical, coordinated, and efficient delivery of future urban development in Branyan. This project has been completed alongside planning for urban infrastructure required to service future development in this identified growth area, particularly for roads, pathways, parks, stormwater, water and sewer networks.
The local area planning seeks to ensure development proceeds in a logical manner with appropriate infrastructure and services in place while protecting existing land uses and environmental features. This local area plan for Branyan aims to provide certainty for residents and landowners regarding the future planning direction of the locality.
At its meeting held 18 September 2024, Council resolved to make a planning scheme policy for the Branyan local plan area.
The purpose and general effect of the proposed planning scheme policy is to provide an interim response to incorporate land use and infrastructure planning outcomes from the Branyan area local plan until the necessary amendments can be made to Council’s Planning Scheme and Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP).
The planning scheme policy is intended to apply to assessable development, providing a local structure planning framework for the Emerging community zoned land at Branyan. The planning scheme policy includes outcomes (assessment benchmarks) to guide future development, contained within SC6.8.6 (Branyan area local plan code).
Council is seeking feedback on the proposed planning scheme policy during the public consultation period, from Friday 27 September 2024 until Friday 1 November 2024.
To view the proposed planning scheme policy and supporting information and for details about drop-in-sessions and how to make a submission, please visit Council’s Our Bundaberg Region page.
Review of the Hughes and Seaview Bargara Local Area Plan
Following public consultation on the Hughes and Seaview Bargara Local Area Plan review in June 2023, Council at its Ordinary Meeting held 26 September 2023 finalised its review of the local plan, incorporating minor changes in response to submissions.
This local plan review includes:
- more detailed land use and infrastructure planning for the area south of Watsons Road (to Windermere Road); and
- a review of the existing local plan north of Watsons Road (i.e., the original Hughes and Seaview Bargara Masterplan area), in relation to transport (roads and pathways) and stormwater infrastructure.
The local plan review includes recommendations to inform future amendments to Council’s Planning Scheme and Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) to reflect the further detailed land use and infrastructure planning completed for the Hughes and Seaview Bargara local plan area.
The finalised documentation, including a summary of submissions and responses to matters raised in submissions, is available for viewing and download on Council’s Our Bundaberg Region page.
Planning Scheme Policy for the Hughes and Seaview Bargara Local Plan Area
Council, at its Ordinary Meeting held 28 November 2023 adopted Planning Scheme Policy for the Hughes and Seaview Bargara Local Plan Area with no changes in response to submissions and made an associated administrative amendment.
The adopted Planning Scheme Policy and associated amendment take effect from 4 December 2023 as Version 6.2 of the Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme.
The purpose and general effect of the Planning Scheme Policy is to provide an interim response to reflect further detailed land use and infrastructure planning completed for the Hughes and Seaview Bargara Local Plan Area until further amendments to the Bundaberg Regional Council Planning Scheme and Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) can be progressed by Council.
The Planning Scheme Policy is to be read in conjunction with the Central coastal urban growth area local plan code (included at Part 7 of the Planning Scheme), and provides additional guidance for the future development of land between Bargara Road, Hughes Road, Windermere Road and Seaview Road at Bargara.
The associated administrative amendment is made to Part 1, Table 1.2.5 (Planning scheme policies) and Schedule 6.1, Table SC6.1.1 (Planning scheme policy index) of the Planning Scheme, to reflect the adopted Planning Scheme Policy.
Version 6.2 of the Planning Scheme is available for viewing and download here.
For more information and to view the consultation report, please visit the Our Bundaberg Region page.
Interim Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) Amendment
At its Ordinary Meeting held 24 April 2023, Council resolved to adopt an Interim Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) amendment. This amendment commenced as Version 6.1 of the Planning Scheme on 12 May 2023.
The Interim LGIP amendment ensures the Schedule of Works model and Plans for Trunk Infrastructure better align with Council's latest network planning and Capital Investment Plan (CIP). The updates include the following:
- inclusion of existing assets that have recently been constructed, provided or reclassified;
- removal of future assets that have been constructed (are now existing), or are no longer required;
- inclusion of future assets that have been conditioned under a development approval or newly identified in the CIP (identified through more recent network planning);
- adopting more contemporary financial inputs that align with a revised base date of 2021 (from the previous base date of 2016).
For more information, including a summary of submissions and responses to matters raised in submissions, please visit the Our Bundaberg Region page.
View Version 6.1 of the Planning Scheme
Planning Scheme Amendment No.11 (Building height and other matters)
At its Ordinary Meeting held 28 February 2023, Council resolved to adopt Planning Scheme Amendment No 11 (Building Height and Other Matters) comprising a Qualified State Interest Amendment and Minor / Administrative Amendments. The amendments commenced as Version 6.0 of the planning scheme on 10 March 2023.
The Qualified State Interest amendment strengthens current planning scheme provisions relating to building height, particularly for development in coastal locations within the Sea turtle sensitive area. The amendment replaces Temporary Local Planning Instrument No.1 of 2021 - Protection of Sea Turtles – Bargara Building Heights (TLPI 01/2021). As such, at its Ordinary Meeting held 28 February 2023, Council also resolved to repeal TLPI 01/2021 effective from 10 March 2023.
The Minor / Administrative amendments broadly seek to improve the operation, accuracy and efficiency of the planning scheme and makes amendments to use terms and definitions to reflect the regulated requirements within the Planning Regulation 2017.
For more information, please visit the Our Bundaberg Region page.
Current and recent projects
To view current and recent projects please visit Council's Our Bundaberg Region website.
Branyan Local Area Plan
Council is currently undertaking local area planning for part of Branyan identified for future urban growth under the Council’s Planning Scheme and the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2011). For further information or to subscribe for updates on this project please visit the 'Our Bundaberg Region' – Branyan Local Area Plan webpage.
Burnett Heads Town Centre Local Plan
Burnett Heads and the Port of Bundaberg are expected to experience significant growth over the next 10 to 20 years as the potential of the locality becomes a reality.
With the construction of the $71 million Knauf plasterboard plant and the recently declared State Development Area at the Port, there is immense potential for development at Burnett Heads.
Following these developments, Council expects that the town centre of Burnett Heads will come under development pressure as developers and land owners look to take advantage of surrounding economic development. To guide this development and ensure it is appropriate for Burnett Heads, Council has prepared a local plan.
Throughout April 2017, Council undertook public consultation within the Burnett Heads community. Following consideration of submissions, Council made some changes to the local plan. The local plan was adopted by Council at its meeting held 10 October 2017.
Council, in partnership with both the Australian Government under the Building Better Regions Fund and the Queensland Government under the Building our Regions Fund, delivered the Burnett Heads Town Centre Redevelopment. The construction tender was awarded to Development Construction Pty Ltd (DEVCON).
In October 2018, the Burnett Heads Town Centre Redevelopment reached practical completion as a key component in the implementation of the Burnett Heads Town Centre Local Plan.
As per recommendations in the Burnett Heads Town Centre Local Plan, Version 5.0 of the Planning Scheme incorporated planning outcomes from the local plan into the planning scheme. This includes outcomes for development of the Burnett Heads Boat Harbour and building height and design requirements in the Burnett Heads town centre.
View Burnett Heads Town Centre Local Plan