Want to learn more about ShapingSEQ 2023

If you want a high-level overview of what’s in ShapingSEQ 2023, download the factsheet ( 1.7 MB).

If you want a more detailed overview of the entire content of ShapingSEQ 2023, download the summary ( 10.2 MB).

The draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update underwent public consultation in mid-2023.

If you are familiar with the plan and want to understand the key changes that have occurred since release of the draft document, download the Summary of Amendments ( 5.0 MB).

As part of ShapingSEQ 2023 changes have been made to the Planning Regulation 2017 to ensure the policy intent of ShapingSEQ 2023 is able to be released. These changes relate to the protection of industrial land as well as protecting new land in the Urban Footprint from being prematurely developed when adequate structure planning has not occurred.

If you want to understand what sections of the Planning Regulation 2017 have changed in response to ShapingSEQ 2023 view Planning (SEQ Regulatory Provisions) Amendment Regulation 2023 - Queensland Legislation - Queensland Government.

In August-September 2023, during the public notification period for the plan, consultation was undertaken with stakeholders including state agencies, local governments, industry and community groups across the 12 local government areas.

Feedback and submissions received during the consultation period were considered and informed ShapingSEQ 2023.

If you want to understand how consultation was undertaken, what kinds of matters were raised during the consultation period and how the Queensland Government responded download the ShapingSEQ 2023 Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB).

The Indicator Dictionary ( 944.8 KB) is intended to provide a guide to assist users in understanding the intent of each indicator, the data that will be used, and the methodology applied in monitoring the implementation of policies and targets outlined in ShapingSEQ 2023.

• View gazette notice
• View the gazette notice Extraordinary No. 94—15 December 2023 - Extraordinary Gazettes—December 2023 - Publications | Queensland Government

ShapingSEQ 2023 is the Queensland Government’s regional plan to shape the future growth of South East Queensland, encompassing the 12 local government areas of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba (urban extent).

ShapingSEQ 2023 sets the framework for how we can respond to our growing and changing region to enhance our communities in a sustainable way, while maintaining the South East Queensland you love.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan was released in 2017 and, since then, we have experienced unprecedented interstate migration, changes in household situations and significant pressures in the housing market leading to an increase in housing demand.

As an outcome of the 2022 Queensland Housing Summit and in response to the Federal Government’s National Housing Accord and the National Planning Reform Blueprint, the Queensland Government needed to undertake an urgent and targeted review of the existing plan to respond to current housing pressures.

ShapingSEQ 2023 was prepared in the context of growth and reform that we have not seen recently.

By 2046, South East Queensland is expected to have a population of around six million people. Based on population figures from 2021, that’s an additional 2.2 million people requiring almost 900,000 new homes and almost one million new jobs.

Growth is inevitable and we need to prepare for it. We can either shape our own destiny or have it shaped for us by national policies that don’t take into account our unique way of life.

But when done well, growth is also an opportunity to expand and enhance our already great communities and support the different needs and lifestyles of all South East Queenslanders.

Growth is the catalyst for creating more education and health facilities, more art and lifestyle precincts, more parks and green spaces, more businesses, jobs and career opportunities.

To make the most of the opportunities that growth provides, it is critical that we plan for it in the right way—to meet the current and future needs of a changing population.

ShapingSEQ 2023 is focused on housing supply and diversity in housing choice, supported by a refreshed approach to housing resilience and thoughtful design, access to economic centres and jobs, connectivity and infrastructure planning, biodiversity protection, and consideration of First Nations peoples.

Successfully implementing the strategies and policies of ShapingSEQ 2023 is a shared task. It requires a coordinated effort by multiple stakeholders including federal, state and local governments, utility providers and industry, community and First Nations peoples.

The Federal Government sets national policies around housing, infrastructure, environment, economic, taxation and immigration policies that are relevant to ShapingSEQ 2023. They also provide funding and property-related financial measures.

The Queensland Government sets the state policies, Queensland planning framework and regional polices, requirements for planning schemes, delivery of state infrastructure, and progress monitoring and reporting.

Local governments deliver place-based planning, development assessment, and planning and delivery of local infrastructure to support growth.

Utility providers align planning and delivery of water, energy, waste and telecommunications networks.

The building industry develops housing delivery models, products and partnerships while addressing issues affecting housing construction, like cost escalations and labour shortages.

And it is up to local communities to engage with the future planning of their neighbourhoods to ensure long-term planning is in alignment with their needs and values. We also look to First Nations peoples to ensure their rights, interests and aspirations are reflected in land use planning and the delivery of ShapingSEQ 2023.

ShapingSEQ’s 50-year vision is guided by five key themes: Grow, Prosper, Connect, Sustain and Live.

The Grow theme addresses South East Queensland’s rapid population growth, providing more housing choice and integrating infrastructure and connections, while protecting our natural environments.

ShapingSEQ 2023 is based on a nation-leading, data-driven approach to determine land supply to accommodate growth, and to inform dwelling targets across the region. This approach involves a better understanding of where and how people want to live, integrated with transport planning, and consideration of protecting environmental areas and avoiding hazard areas.

ShapingSEQ 2023 also provides better housing choice for South East Queenslanders by introducing new sub-targets for diversity in housing types. Greater housing choice ensures people who work in key roles in our community, like teachers, nurses, shop assistants and aged care workers, can choose to live close to their place of employment.

In order to address the challenges presented by unprecedented growth and demand for housing, we need all three levels of government – federal, state and local – to work together and unlock the supply of new homes in existing, well-located areas.

ShapingSEQ 2023 includes an implementation framework and process that is dynamic, accountable, transparent and effective to ensure the strategies and policies of ShapingSEQ 2023 are translated into delivery of more homes on the ground for South East Queensland communities. ShapingSEQ 2023 provides 13 priority actions to convert strategies and policies into actions.

ShapingSEQ 2023 provides clear direction on governance, delivery tools and timeframes, as well as commitment to sustained communication and engagement, and greater direction on how progress will be measured, monitored and reported on. The Growth Monitoring Program (GMP) will continue to monitor and report on a suite of indicators for ShapingSEQ 2023.

ShapingSEQ 2023 focuses on strategies to strengthen communities and the economy by delivering integrated land use and transport planning. This integration is essential, as it improves connectivity and accessibility within the region, ultimately enhancing how we all live, work and play.

To facilitate this, the Queensland Housing Summit required the development of a new South East Queensland  Infrastructure Plan (SEQIP) to manage regional growth and service provision in SEQ. Due to the urgency of addressing housing pressures in Queensland, the scope of the SEQ Infrastructure Plan was revised to fast-track the delivery of a targeted SEQ Infrastructure Supplement (SEQIS).

SEQIS is a targeted supplement that services the growth and housing supply of the region and was prepared in conjunction with and aligning to ShapingSEQ 2023.

Due to the nature of infrastructure planning, SEQIS has been finalised with local governments and other state government agencies. It provides clearly aligned infrastructure planning strategies to address housing pressures and maximise the opportunity of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure.

ShapingSEQ 2023 reinforces the need to adjust our transport approach to achieve a more sustainable, healthy and accessible transport system.

Embracing more walking, cycling and public transport solutions will help reduce the environmental footprint of the transport system while improving connectivity for our communities. ShapingSEQ 2023 prioritises building a high frequency public transport network, promoting active transport and investing in Region-Shaping Infrastructure (RSI) projects.

A series of proposed transport and freight projects needed to support our growing population are outlined within the Connect theme as part of the Region-Shaping Infrastructure list (RSI).

As an outcome of ShapingSEQ 2017, the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy 2020-2025 provides strong koala protections. Regulations implemented in 2020 increased planning controls that protect high-quality koala habitat from the impacts of clearing, with high quality mapping across SEQ introduced to ensure long-term sustainability of SEQ’s koala habitat and population.

ShapingSEQ 2023 continues to protect the region’s biodiversity. Priorities within the Sustain theme include protecting and enhancing South East Queensland’s biodiversity corridors and taking a regional focus to maintaining the natural environment, key habitat and native wildlife.

Map 16 – Sustain – Koala habitat has been updated to reflect most up to date koala habitat area data sources (version 4).

The 2022 Queensland Government Housing Summit set out a range of actions to address the housing needs of Queenslanders. One of the commitments included an update to the South East Queensland Regional Plan, ShapingSEQ 2017, to increase land and housing supply.

The lack of diversity in housing choice across the region is one of the key contributors to the current housing pressures being experienced.

ShapingSEQ 2023 includes both dwelling supply targets and dwelling diversity sub-targets to identify the amount and type of housing the region needs to supply to accommodate growth. It also includes gentle density strategies and the high amenity areas framework to provide support for an uplift in densification in suitable areas across the region. Priority actions within the regional plan seek to convert these policies into outcomes and require collaboration with local governments to achieve this.

Housing options will vary depending on the community in which you live. Local government will plan to provide the most appropriate ways housing diversity can be achieved in local communities in alignment with policies identified in ShapingSEQ 2023. This will not only increase the number of houses available to meet the demand but will also offer more choice to people in where and how they live.

In addition, ShapingSEQ 2023 identifies areas that can accommodate greater density and more types of homes. The plan also outlines areas of urban footprint expansion where long-term land supply shortages have been identified, as well as where a regional need for detached dwellings has been identified. This ensures that now and into the future the right types of homes are available to support our diverse community.

Lastly, the regional plan outlines its role in increasing housing supply and delivery. The plan itself does not deliver homes, however, it does ensure that planning is not a barrier or hinderance to housing delivery in the region.

Increasing affordable housing is linked to creating greater housing supply, choice and diversity in order to increase the safe and secure housing options available to all SEQ residents.

ShapingSEQ 2023 has a combined target of 20% social housing and affordable housing in the development of new homes across South East Queensland. This includes development of market-affordable housing that creates more affordable product but does not necessarily rely on a government subsidy, for example ‘affordable by design’ housing.

The social housing and affordable housing target will enable and drive government, the private sector and community housing providers to bring forward greater volumes of social housing and affordable housing more efficiently and cost-effectively.

ShapingSEQ 2023 is just one mechanism used to plan for future housing affordability. The plan is supported by a number of federal and state government policies and incentives that can be applied to encourage the delivery of housing affordability.

Delivery of social housing is led by the Department of Housing (DOH) in partnership with community housing providers, while being supported by local governments and other state government entities. The Queensland Government will continue to partner closely with the DOH as well as Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) to implement social housing initiatives.

ShapingSEQ 2023 is focused on growing jobs across the region, creating more jobs where people live and identifying the infrastructure required to support economic growth.

Through the Prosper theme, the plan introduces a new regional strategic approach to employment and industrial land in South East Queensland. Key areas of the region are now approaching a critical shortfall of available industrial land. A region-wide focus, rather than a local government area focus, is critical to achieving many of the region’s goals relating to jobs creation, economic growth and innovation. The regional plan includes a Priority Action to establish a regional industrial land framework to investigate and support future establishment of industrial areas across the region.

ShapingSEQ 2023 has strengthened provisions around protecting industrial areas, as well as clarified the policies for Regional Economic Clusters (RECs) and the Regional Activity Centre Network (RACN) to ensure these areas can continue to support the growth of the region.

Learn more about the Prosper theme.

Engagement activities with both Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities were undertaken prior to release of the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update, as well as during the public notification period and finalisation of ShapingSEQ 2023. Further engagement occurred with these groups during the public notification period via a series of workshops across the region. Feedback from this engagement has informed changes to First Nations peoples references, strategies and priority actions throughout the entirety of the regional plan.

ShapingSEQ 2023 recognises First Nations peoples as key stakeholders with differing needs and aspirations. First Nations peoples are integral to shaping our cities, and implementation of ShapingSEQ 2023 commits to engage early and on an ongoing basis to build lasting relationships and capitalise on the opportunity to acknowledge our First Nations peoples who have planned and managed Country for millennia in a sustainable way.

Ongoing engagement with this key stakeholder will occur as part of implementation of Priority Action 7 – First Nations engagement framework.

Land use means the purpose to which the land is committed. ShapingSEQ 2023 represents three core regional land use categories (RLUC), which are defined below.

Urban Footprint: Identifies land within which the region’s urban development needs will be met in a way that is consistent with the outcomes and strategies of ShapingSEQ. Currently 14% of the region is Urban Footprint.

Urban Footprint supports minimising urban sprawl to protect the environment, while maximising the use of existing services and infrastructure. Not all land in the Urban Footprint is suitable for urban purposes or additional development activity. Constraints may include flooding, land slope and scenic amenity, or the need to protect vegetation of environmental significance or land that is part of the regional biodiversity network.

Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area (RLRPA): Is an area that provides important values that help sustain the region, socially, economically and environmentally. This area protects the values of this land from encroachment by urban and rural residential development, protects natural assets and regional landscapes, and ensures their sustainable use and management. The RLRPA also supports development and economic growth of rural communities and industries. Currently 84% of the region is RLRPA.

Rural Living Area (RLA): Identifies areas for consolidated rural residential development in suitable locations providing for housing and lifestyle choice, while limiting the impact of its inefficient use of land on other values, functions and opportunities in a region. Currently 2% of the region is RLA.

RLUC changes have occurred as part of ShapingSEQ 2023 to support the projected demand for land supply when and where it is needed.

An area of approximately 5,250ha has been added into the Urban Footprint from RLRPA (compared to the Urban Footprint in ShapingSEQ 2017). South East Queensland’s Urban Footprint is now approximately 333,000ha, representing 14% of the total land in the region.

In some areas, the additional Urban Footprint includes land that was previously identified as a Potential Future Growth Area (PFGA). Two PFGAs that were identified in ShapingSEQ 2017 have been included in the Urban Footprint for the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 at Elimbah and Southern Thornlands. One PFGA identified in the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 has transitioned into the Urban Footprint at Burpengary East.

Additional areas have been included in the Urban Footprint throughout Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba. These additional areas are for both residential and employment purposes.

Any new land included in the Urban Footprint has been informed by demand outputs of the modelling process, the identified regional need for industrial land, submissions received during public consultation, and an assessment against the Urban Footprint principals and constraints analysis. The consultation report ( 26.0 MB) describes how the department considered any RLUC change requests and how decision making occurred.

No Urban Footprint has been removed as part of ShapingSEQ 2023.

For further detail on the new Urban Footprint areas in the region refer to map in the Summary of Amendment document ( 5.0 MB).

The core purpose of the ShapingSEQ review was to respond to the current housing pressures being experienced in SEQ and ensure there is sufficient land and the right type of housing supply to meet the housing needs across the region both now and into the future. This will ensure that the region provides housing diversity so that there is a home for everyone’s varying needs.

An analysis informed by the Model for Urban Land Use and Transport Interaction (MULTI) indicated that there is limited land supply for the needed detached homes across the region despite the Urban Footprint inclusions provided in the draft regional plan. The limited supply will, over time, impact on rate of growth due to limited development opportunities. It is recognised regional practice to ensure there are reserves of land supply to ensure growth and the market is not unduly restricted.

Due to the identified potential shortfall of land supply for detached houses, as well as there still being demand for this type of housing product, additions were made to the Urban Footprint to respond to this. While the focus of ShapingSEQ 2023 is still supporting further consolidation and greater uplift in housing diversity through more attached product, the plan also supports housing diversity across the full spectrum of housing types.

There have also been areas added to the Urban Footprint that are for employment and industrial purposes only and are not to provide housing supply.

There have been changes to the area of land included in the three RLUC categories. The table below displays the changes across the three categories from ShapingSEQ 2017, the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update and ShapingSEQ 2023.

Note numbers in table are approximate and have been rounded for reporting purposes.

For more detail on what has changed between the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update and ShapingSEQ 2023, refer to the Summary of Amendments which includes a map of RLUC changes.

There are multiple ways that you can determine the RLUC of your property including:

• A region wide RLUC map has been included in ShapingSEQ 2023 and the ShapingSEQ 2023 Summary ( 10.2 MB).
• Electronically via the State Government online mapping known as SPP or DAMs mapping. For SPP interactive mapping, the RLUC layer is listed under ‘Information Purpose’, then ‘Administrative layers’. For DAMs interactive mapping, the RLUC layer is listed under ‘SARA DA Mapping’, then ‘SEQ Regional Plan Triggers.’ Layers can be turned on and off. Properties can be found by manually zooming to the known location on the map or using the ‘Search for Land Parcel’ on the top tool banner.
• Through the RLUC Regulatory PDF map series displaying RLUCs across the region.

There are various reasons why someone’s request for the inclusion of their land in the Urban Footprint was not supported. These may include:

• the modelling process did not outline a need or dwelling supply shortage in this area, or that a certain product type was in demand in this area
• values and constraints on the land such as protected vegetation including wildlife habitat, productive agricultural land, topography or flooding were identified
• no future infrastructure services were identified
• the inability to service the land with cost-effective infrastructure such as water or sewers was not identified
• potential conflict with established rural uses
• conflict with local government strategic planning intentions
• there is still significant urban land supply in a local area over a 25-year horizon
• site was unable to meet the Urban Footprint principles.

It is also noted that during the review there was no removal of land from the Urban Footprint into the RLA or RLRPA as this type of change was not part of the scope of the review. In addition to this, there were no changes to the RLA, with either additions from RLRPA or subtractions back into the RLRPA.

Subdivision requirements with the RLRPA and RLA have also remained unchanged in accordance with the original scope of the review.

Lastly, the regional plan does not dictate local government planning scheme zoning changes. If a submission was received requesting a zoning change beyond a change to RLUC this was not considered as it sits outside the remit of a regional plan.

As part of this regional plan review the RLUC dataset has been translated to a 2023 cadastre dataset to reflect current property boundaries. The translation process ensures that the 2023 RLUC layer aligns with the current cadastre displayed on online interactive mapping like SPP and DAMS. In doing this, small corrections, tidy ups, and changes to parcels around the fringe of the Urban Footprint have been completed. Changes have also occurred as parcels are shifted and corrected through improvements in surveying of the cadastral layer, with some noticeable changes around waterways and coastline boundaries.

Publicly available data layers from ShapingSEQ 2023 are available to download on the Queensland Spatial Catalogue by searching ‘ShapingSEQ 2023.’ ShapingSEQ 2023 relies on many datasets beyond the layers identified as ShapingSEQ 2023 on the Spatial Catalogue such as Matters of State Environmental Significance, agricultural land, koala habitat, etc. Not all ShapingSEQ 2023 datasets are available for public download.

As a high-level strategic planning document, ShapingSEQ 2023 provides direction to local government for their planning schemes about how growth is to be managed across the region. It doesn’t specify zonings, the height of buildings or how your street will develop over time for instance, but rather provides more broad directions about how growth will be accommodated, how many dwellings need to be planned at a regional level and what key regional values need to be protected.

It remains the responsibility of local governments, in consultation with their communities, to determine how these broader strategies are reflected in local planning and development outcomes. This includes determining the appropriate form and distribution of densities that are delivered through their planning schemes.

A regional plan is a strategic document that helps the Queensland Government and local government work together to prepare for the region’s future. It sets the long-term direction that guides overall growth patterns and land use outcomes with the aim to ensure that future development is planned in a way that creates good outcomes for communities, the economy and the environment.

A regional plan aims to:

• Identify a region’s comparative economic advantages and opportunities
• Ensure enough land is available in the right locations to support communities’ needs (including housing, services and business areas)
• Help state and local government align their regional land use and planning decisions to manage growth in the most environmentally, economically and socially responsible way
• Protect lifestyle values and enhance the liveability of regional localities and communities.
• Reduce land use conflicts and improve land use certainty for community and industry sectors
• Identify future regional infrastructure needs to support economic and social growth
• Manage impacts on the natural environment
• Guide future planning for all levels of government and industry to support cohesive action
• Articulate and promote linkages with neighbouring regions
• Focus on issues at a regional rather than local scale.

A regional plan is not a local government planning scheme as it does not control what sort of development you can expect in your local area. Each local government prepares their own local planning scheme which is used to inform the community and the development industry about how that local government plans to manage growth and change.

A planning scheme aims to:

• Articulate how a local government plans to manage development and growth in its area, and in the longer-term respond to change
• Provide a localised expression of state and regional planning policies
• Maximise the liveability of our communities by ensuring there is green space, community facilities, places to work and shop and housing options
• Plan for efficient use of major local government infrastructure networks
• Protect natural and manmade features such as heritage buildings
• Makes communities more resilient to natural hazards such as floods and bushfires
• Set design standards appropriate for the type of development and local area.

A planning scheme is able to achieve this by outlining what type of development should occur (through zoning and neighbourhood plans), how development should occur (through assessment benchmarks) and what type of assessment process is required (whether it needs a development application and what sort of application it needs).

‘Gentle density’ development refers to the idea of accommodating population within established suburbs, rather than expanding greenfield developments on the fringes of cities. ‘Gentle density’ development could mean small studios or Fonzie flats, duplexes, row or terrace houses, triplexes or low-rise townhouses. This is an incremental approach to density to provide more housing choice, while avoiding abrupt changes in scale, density, or character of existing communities.

ShapingSEQ 2023 includes the high amenity areas framework which is a tool to help identify areas that can accommodate greater dwelling density and more types of homes. Through implementation of the regional plan, local governments will work with the department to identify ‘high amenity areas’ using this framework.

As per the criteria in ShapingSEQ 2023, high amenity areas are generally areas already supported by key features such as activity centres, education facilities, community facilities, high frequency public transport and green spaces. This means that these areas can support higher density growth as they are well serviced by infrastructure and located near supporting services.

Outside of these high amenity areas, there will be an incremental approach to dwelling density to provide more housing choice, while avoiding abrupt changes in scale, density, or character of existing communities.

Once the department and local governments have identified high amenity areas, they will then be able to identify policy changes required to support an uplift in densities in these areas.

High amenity areas will also inform updated long-term infrastructure demand planning to be developed for the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan (SEQIP) in response to the policies set in ShapingSEQ 2023.

A Potential Future Growth Area (PFGA) is an area outside of the Urban Footprint that may be suitable for future urban growth, subject to modelling revealing a demand for additional residential or employment land, and subject to further investigation undertaken by the department. These areas are not needed to accommodate the dwelling supply benchmarks or employment planning baselines of ShapingSEQ 2023. Importantly, these areas do not represent a development commitment and are not spatially identified through site boundaries, rather are indicatively shown.

There are 11 PFGAs identified in ShapingSEQ 2023:

• Wellcamp (Employment/industrial)
• Westbrook
• Highfields
• Lanefield / Grandchester
• Glamorgan Vale
• Halls Creek
• South Logan (Industrial)
• Buccan
• Stapylton (Industrial)
• Mundoolun
• Beaudesert East.

In mid-2023, the draft plan went through extensive consultation with state agencies, SEQ local governments, industry, the community and other stakeholders during a public notification period.

After reviewing approximately 2,500 submissions and feedback from the community and other stakeholders, the department identified a range of changes to the plan.

For an understanding of the key changes made to the plan from draft to final refer to the Summary of Amendment document.

The Queensland Government has committed to more regular reviews of regional plans. ShapingSEQ 2023 is anticipated to commence a full review in two years’ time. This means that the review will likely commence sometime in 2025.

Following release of ShapingSEQ 2023 the department will publish a series of background reports. These background reports will contain additional details on data that informed the review, as well as further information that supports the policy outcomes within the regional plan, and on the implementation framework.

The Delivery Chapter (Chapter 4) in ShapingSEQ 2023 outlines the monitoring and reporting methods utilised to track progress of implementation of the regional plan. These monitoring and reporting techniques vary pending on the theme. A summary of these monitoring and reporting techniques per theme is outlined below:

• Grow theme: tracking of targets, sub-targets and strategies will occur through the annual Land Supply and Development Monitoring (LSDM report), recalibration of planning schemes and through reporting undertaken by the Department of Housing.
• Prosper theme: the annual LSDM report will track implementation of strategies related to MEIAs and other industrial areas in the Prosper theme.
• Connect theme: TMR will report on implementation of Connect theme strategies through QTRIP and can measure implementation through the delivery of high frequency network, principal cycle network and the status of priority RSI projects.
• Sustain theme: relevant state agencies will work to develop indicators to monitor the ongoing implementation of Sustain strategies and priority actions.
• Live theme: monitoring and reporting will occur through the review of local government planning schemes and PDA development schemes to ensure they are calibrated to achieve design outcomes sought by ShapingSEQ 2023.

During the drafting and public notification period for the plan during 2023, consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders including state agencies, local governments, industry and community groups to inform the drafting and finalisation of ShapingSEQ 2023.

Community engagement across the 12 local government areas was undertaken during the public notification period in August-September 2023 ahead of the finalisation of the regional plan.

In addition, the department undertook an extensive awareness raising media campaign to support the project and encourage community input into ShapingSEQ 2023.

Feedback and submissions received during the consultation period were considered and helped to inform ShapingSEQ 2023.

Access the ShapingSEQ 2023 Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB).

The Consultation Report provides details on what sort of feedback was received from submissions during the public notification period. The report outlines that there were two types of submissions received during this period which were submissions on general policy within the draft ShapingSEQ 2032 Update and submissions for requests to change RLUCs.

The Consultation Report outlines the methodology for consideration of both submission types – including both policy-related submissions, and submissions requesting a change to the RLUC of a particular property.

For further information on findings from submissions, assessment and outcomes in ShapingSEQ 2023 refer to the Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB)

Feedback received at a consultation event was analysed and data from these extracted to identify prevalent topics and sentiment towards these topics at a local government area level, as well as at a regional level. Where topics and feedback were able to be accommodated within the scope of the regional plan review, this was considered for the finalisation of the plan.

A summary of feedback received from consultation events is contained within the Consultation Report

Following lodgement of your submission, an automatic response would have been generated and sent to you. This response confirms confirmation of submission.

Due to the large volume of submissions received the department has summarised submission topics and sentiment for analysis. As such, specific submission content is not contained within the Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB). As submissions are confidential the department is unable to publicly release them.

Finally, where submissions contained information that was out of the scope of the regional plan review or related to other state agency matters these were not reported on through this process.

The Summary of Amendment ( 5.0 MB) document details changes that have occurred from the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update to ShapingSEQ 2023. As outlined within this document, changes have occurred in response to submissions, feedback received from stakeholders and the community, as well as internal improvements identified by the department.

The Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB) outlines where a topic raised through submissions has resulted in a change to the final regional plan.

The Consultation Report includes an overview of RLUC changes that have occurred where a submission was made about that particular site. The report identifies these changes within a table with supporting rationale for the change, as well as a map that shows where changes have occurred.

It is important to remember that changes to RLUC do not just occur in response to a submission. RLUC change submissions go through a detailed assessment and decision-making process that consider a number of variables to determine whether a change is required. The Consultation Report ( 26.0 MB) outlines further details about the assessment process of RLUC submissions.

ShapingSEQ 2023 is now finalised. There will not be further public notification or stakeholder engagement regarding policies, strategies or actions within the final regional plan.

Engagement with stakeholders will still occur as part of the implementation of the regional plan.

Hard copies of ShapingSEQ 2023 will be distributed to all local governments and will be available for viewing in early 2024.

The department has a limited number of printed copies of the regional plan to assist in reducing environmental footprint. However, should you live in a remote community and have difficulties accessing a local community facility please contact the department to discuss options available for viewing a hard copy of the plan.

An SEQ development area (SEQ development areas) is an area that has been identified for future homes or employment opportunities but due to its size and complexity, needs a collaborative effort by state, local government and industry to facilitate its development. SEQ development areas serve the purpose of restricting further development, in order to safeguard against premature or out of sequence development that could compromise the area before appropriate planning and investigations can take place.

ShapingSEQ 2023 and the Planning Regulation introduce two categories of SEQ development areas and updated assessment provisions. Category 1 SEQ development areas prohibit certain material change of use and reconfiguration of a lot until State or local government structure planning is undertaken. ShapingSEQ 2023 includes five category 1 SEQ development areas: Burpengary East, Elimbah, Narangba, Yandina and Southern Thornlands. Some types of low-intensity development, unlikely to compromise the future land use and infrastructure planning are excluded from the prohibition, for example a dwelling house and particular rural activities in a rural zone.

ShapingSEQ 2023 retains Beerwah East as a category 2 SEQ development area, identified originally as the only Major Development Area in ShapingSEQ 2017. Sandstone Point, Stapylton and West Toowoomba are added as category 2 SEQ development areas. The assessment provisions for category 2 SEQ development areas require applications to demonstrate alignment with the future planning intent for the area.

An ‘SEQ major enterprise and industrial area’ (MEIA) is an area that accommodates the region’s most significant areas of medium and high-impact industries and employment associated with state transport infrastructure. These areas are major drivers of economic growth.

ShapingSEQ 2023 has strengthened outcomes sought for MEIAs and maps these areas. To support this, the Amendment Regulation introduces prohibitions for material change of use applications to certain accommodation activities that are located in an industry zone (local planning scheme) in an SEQ major enterprise and industrial area.

ShapingSEQ 2023 continues to protect the Northern Inter-Urban Break (NIUB) identified in ShapingSEQ 2017 by identifying a boundary for most of the area. The mapped area of the NIUB is approximately 58,000ha.

The Planning Regulation introduces provisions for the ‘SEQ northern inter-urban break’ mapped area, acknowledging its significance and providing enhanced protection beyond the RLRPA provisions and thresholds. Applications that exceed the thresholds are to be subject to a test against the values of the NIUB as identified in ShapingSEQ 2023, locational and overriding needs assessments.