New world for land use planning
“IT'S somewhat daunting all the things that are happening in the planning world at the moment,” Gympie Regional Council's Planning and Development Committee has been told.
The committee was discussing new regional planning issues affecting Gympie as part of the larger Wide Bay Burnett Region.
Mayor Ron Dyne said it was important to be a part of the process of regional planning, to avoid Gympie being left with a “cookie cut” plan prepared in an “off the shelf” way rather than being tailored to the particular needs of the area.
However, committee chairman Councillor Ian Petersen said there were dangers in being too close to the process, potentially inflicting on Gympie Region a version of what he said was the still troublesome South East Queensland Regional Plan.
Cr Petersen has previously said that Gympie Region has benefited from the investment of people “fleeing” the oppressive and inflexible requirements of the SEQ document.
“It's somewhat daunting all the things that are happening in the planning world at the moment," he said.
“Apart from stretching staff resources, there will also have to be staff training, because it's completely new and it raises many issues that would have an effect on our statutory plan. One advantage is that councils without plans will be able to benefit.”
