New Sunshine Coast planning scheme project community engagement

The Sunshine Coast community is highly interested and passionate about our region and its future. We know our region is a special place to live, work and visit and we recognise the importance of implementing a land use plan planning framework that reflects our community's aspirations and values.

New planning scheme engagement stages

The consultation and engagement program for the new Sunshine Coast planning scheme project includes two key community consultation phases:

Preliminary (non-statutory) consultation (completed 2022) - More than 8000 people provided valuable feedback on a proposed vision and regional planning directions for the new planning scheme and contributed their ideas to local area planning. Feedback received is helping to inform the detailed drafting of the proposed planning scheme. Read the Preliminary consultation - summary and outcomes brochure for more information, or visit our Have your say website
Formal (statutory) consultation on a proposed planning scheme, including details such as proposed zoning and code provisions. This will occur once the State Interest Review process has been completed and the State approves the proposed planning scheme to undergo public consultation. The timing of this consultation phase is to be confirmed (noting that the timeframe of the State Interest Review process is outside of Council’s control).

The consultation and engagement approach for the new planning scheme is summarised in the figure below. The key community involvement milestones are highlighted below.

Ongoing Activities:

project website
project updates
contact the team mailbox
reference groups; and
key stakeholder engagement activities.

* The plan making process is anticipated to take around 4 years to complete (noting that the timing of certain steps in the process, such as state interest reviews, are not within council's control).

Preliminary consultation

Council’s first step toward creating a new planning scheme which reflects our community’s vision for the region, was to seek early community input in 2022, as part of the preliminary consultation program.

The engagement activity included:

20 online surveys (including 18 specific local plan area surveys)
18 online information sessions (during COVID restrictions)
16 advocacy groups interviews
12 pop-up information sessions (after COVID restrictions eased)
10 deliberative workshops
7 community group briefings
6 high school presentations
6 industry events and briefings
2 university presentations
1 youth council presentation
more than 80 social media posts (receiving over 75,000 engagements – reactions, comments, saves, shares)
direct engagement via email and phone.

During the preliminary consultation period, more than 8000 people provided valuable feedback on a proposed vision and regional planning directions for the new planning scheme and contributed their ideas to local area planning.

This feedback is helping to inform the detailed drafting of the new planning scheme.

The preliminary consultation was one of council’s largest and most successful engagement projects and was a clear testament to our commitment to ensuring the community plays a meaningful role in the preparation of the new planning scheme.

More than 6000 surveys were completed and a further 375 written submissions were made during the preliminary consultation period. Council also gathered community input via a range of online and in-person information and discussion sessions and held meetings and focus interviews with a wide variety of community and stakeholder groups.

Feedback received indicated that planning priorities for our region included protecting the natural environment and green spaces, maintaining building heights within set limits, improving our region's resilience to climate change, retaining local character and providing parks and open space.

Community input indicated high levels of support for most proposed planning directions and also highlighted some local area concerns that will be further and carefully considered in the more detailed drafting of the new planning scheme.

Read the Preliminary consultation - summary and outcomes brochure for more information, or visit our Have your say website.

This preliminary consultation was the first of two key opportunities for the community to have their say on the new Sunshine Coast planning scheme project. The community will have another opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed planning scheme itself, including details such as proposed zoning and code provisions. This consultation will occur following completion of the State Interest Review (noting that the timeframe of the State Interest Review process is outside of Council’s control).

Reference groups

A community reference group (CRG) and a technical reference group (TRG) have both been formed to assist with the new planning scheme project.

Community reference group

Council has established a Community Reference Group (CRG) to provide key input and guidance to council about the best ways to engage with the community during preparation of the proposed new planning scheme.

Input from the CRG has informed the overarching communications and engagement strategy and the preliminary consultation program for the new Sunshine Coast planning scheme project.

Membership

The CRG consists of an independent chairperson (appointed by council) and 10 community members. The members of the CRG represent a range of interest areas and demographics to ensure that the group is representative and inclusive of our diverse Sunshine Coast community.

The CRG members are:

Karen Neuendorf (Chair)
Professor Robert Elliot (individual nomination)
Louise Formosa (individual nomination)
Carl Nancarrow (Urban Development Institute Australia (UDIA) Sunshine Coast Branch)
Stephen Burton (individual nomination)
Melva Hobson (Organisation of Sunshine Coast Association of Residents (OSCAR))
Trevor Rice (Sunshine Coast Access Advisory Network Inc)
Narelle McCarthy (Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC))
Sarah Sargent (individual nomination)
Gunter Nolle (Sunshine Coast Youth Council)
Abbey Lindley (individual nomination).

Meetings

The CRG held 4 meetings during August - October 2021. Further meetings of the CRG may be held at key project milestones over the life of the project.

Terms of reference

For further details on the roles and responsibilities of the CRG, please review the Community reference group Terms of reference (PDF, 557KB).

Technical reference group

Council has established a technical reference group (TRG) to provide key technical input and feedback to council about the content and workability of the new planning scheme.

Membership

The TRG membership includes practicing professionals and representatives of relevant peak bodies and industry associations and represents a diverse range of interests and disciplines, including development, planning, engineering, surveying, architecture, landscape and urban design, environment and building.

Meetings

The TRG met during 2022 and 2023. Further meetings of the TRG are intended to be held over the life of the project.

Terms of reference

For further details on the roles and responsibilities of the TRG, please review the technical reference group terms of reference (PDF, 478KB).

Ongoing engagement activities

Ongoing engagement activities and opportunities include:

project updates to subscribers and on the project website (sign up for updates below)
ongoing ability to contact the project team directly (by email at [email protected] or phone on 07 5420 8953).