Newsflash - Queensland Coastal Plan Commences

Queensland Coastal Plan Commences The Queensland Coastal Plan came into effect on Friday 3 February 2012. This Plan, which affects development on much of the Sunshine Coast, has two parts; the State Policy for Coastal Management and the State Planning Policy 3/11: Coastal Protection (SPP). The SPP provides policy direction and assessment criteria on land use planning and development assessment decisions under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.  It is thorough and wide-ranging, covering a coastal zone that stretches west as far as the Sunshine Coast’s inland towns, and has the potential to shape development in the area.  It covers many relevant planning topics, from sea level changes related to climate change, storm tide inundation, and erosion prone areas, right through to vegetation protection and access to coastal waters.  The SPP includes particular statutory requirements and a comprehensive set of implementation and assessment criteria for development applications. The SPP will affect all development applications lodged from 3 February 2012, as well as some development applications lodged with Council before that date but yet to be decided.  Council officers are currently assessing which development applications might be affected by this new planning policy and will contact those applicants about any potential impacts. Detailed information on the Queensland Coastal Plan is available at the website of the Department of Environment and Resource Management, http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/coastalplan/index.html.  Catherine Sinclair | Development Services Liaison Officer Director's Unit, Development Services Sunshine Coast Council Ph: 07 5475 9871 Email: catherine.sinclair@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au