Coming Soon: Get ready to explore the detail

A new planning scheme for the Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Council has been busy preparing a new planning scheme, with careful consideration of community feedback, local needs and State planning requirements.  

The proposed planning scheme is important to everyone on the Sunshine Coast. It may impact anyone who lives or visits the Sunshine Coast, including people who own a business or a property, both now and in the future.  

Soon, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know the detail when the proposed planning scheme becomes available for you to explore.

Preparations for a robust community consultation program are underway. The program will be designed to ensure that there is ample time and information for you to learn what the proposed planning scheme means for you and make a submission.

Sign up for project updates and be notified when the Proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme is released for community feedback.

Prepare to have your say

Planning schemes are legal documents that guide how growth and change is managed within a region and provide a framework for assessing new development. We know planning schemes can be complicated, especially if you’re not familiar with this kind of document.

Now’s a great time to get familiar with some of the key elements of a planning scheme - so you’re ready to have your say when the Proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme is released for feedback.

Key elements of a planning scheme

The proposed planning scheme includes text and mapping associated with the following key elements. 

Visit the What is a planning scheme web page for more information on what a planning scheme is and how it may affect you.

Role of the State Government in planning

While Council has carefully drafted the proposed planning scheme to ensure it is appropriate for our local area, the State Government also has a direct say in the future planning of the Sunshine Coast.

The State Government plays a key role in planning for our communities by overseeing and managing Queensland’s planning system through a range of tools, including planning legislation, the State Planning Policy (SPP) and regional plans.

Council has worked closely with the State Government during the drafting process of the proposed planning scheme, to ensure all relevant state interests are appropriately addressed in the proposed planning scheme.

The State Government has clear expectations about how we plan for growth. This includes ensuring that the requirements of ShapingSEQ - South East Queensland Regional Plan 2023 (SEQ Regional Plan) are addressed. 

For more information:

• Read the Role of the State Government in planning information sheet
• Visit Council’s Growing sustainably web page
• Visit the project’s About the new planning scheme project web page (refer to Existing policy framework)

Where we are in the plan-making process

Preparing a new planning scheme is a multi-year project with many stages.

In December 2023, Council submitted a draft version of the proposed planning scheme to the Queensland Government for a State Interest Review. This is a mandatory step when preparing a new planning scheme. During this step, the Queensland Government reviews the proposed planning scheme to ensure state interests are appropriately addressed before it is released for formal public consultation.

Earlier this year, the Queensland Government informed Council that the State Interest Review of the proposed planning scheme had been completed, subject to some conditions.

_{* The plan making process is anticipated to take several years to complete (noting that the timing of certain steps in the process, such as state interest reviews are not within Council's control).}

Council has carefully considered the State’s conditions, and the required changes have been made to the proposed planning scheme.  Council is now preparing to move to the next step - formal public consultation on the proposed planning scheme.

Visit the Plan-making process web page for more information on the plan-making process.

What our community has told us so far

As an initial step to ensure the new planning scheme reflects our community’s vision for the region, Council undertook an extensive preliminary consultation program in 2022. This was one of the largest and most successful community engagements ever undertaken on the Sunshine Coast.  Around 8,000 people provided feedback on a proposed vision and regional planning directions for the new planning scheme and contributed their ideas to local area planning. 

Participation snapshot

We heard that you want the new planning scheme to:

• Protect the environment
• Maintain a Sunshine Coast vibe
• Manage growth
• Deliver traffic and transport solutions alongside new development
• Provide adequate parking
• Improve development outcomes
• Address affordable housing

Feedback received from our community has helped to inform the preparation of the Proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme.

Visit the project’s Have your Say web page to learn more about the feedback received during the preliminary consultation.

Get notified when consultation opens

The Proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme is important for everyone and is coming soon. The best way to stay up to date is to sign-up now for project updates and be informed when consultation opens.

More information

• Read the following information sheets:
  • What is a planning scheme information sheet
  • Key elements of a planning scheme information sheet
  • Role of the State Government in planning information sheet
• Go to the project’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) web page for answers to the following FAQs and more:
  • What is a planning scheme
  • Why is Council preparing a new planning scheme
  • How does state, regional and local planning fit together?
  • Will the new planning scheme apply to the whole of the Sunshine Coast?