Local government planning schemes

The Sustainable Planning Act 2009 requires local governments to prepare a planning scheme that will guide future growth in their local government area. A local government planning scheme outlines a local council’s plan for the future and how it will balance the social, economic and environmental needs and aspirations of the local community.

Transport and Main Roads Interests in Planning Schemes

Local governments are required to integrate and coordinate matters in their planning schemes that may have impacts on interests of the state government. As a provider of state transport infrastructure such as roads and railways, Transport and Main Roads has a wide range of portfolio responsibilities. The department has an interest in protecting this infrastructure and encouraging the integration of transport services and infrastructure into broader land use patterns.

Transport and Main Roads’ state interests include:

• the safety and efficiency of state-controlled roads
• protection of future state-controlled road corridors
• the safety and operational integrity of railways and future railways
• environmental emissions from railways, state controlled roads, passenger transport infrastructure (such as busways) and ports
• the operation of public passenger transport services (including school transport)
• public passenger transport infrastructure
• certain aspects of aviation (administering State Planning Policy 1/02)
• planning for and managing maritime infrastructure
• maritime safety
• management of the ports system
• increased integration between land use and transport
• encouraging active transport (cycling and walking) and providing active transport infrastructure
• efficient management of miscellaneous transport infrastructure (such as pipelines)
• the efficient movement of freight transport.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has a number of state interests in the preparation and review of planning schemes. The department is preparing policies that clarify these interests. These policies will identify the issues the department is likely to raise during the planning scheme preparation and review process.

The interests in planning schemes documents can be found on the Policy statements, guidelines and development codes page.

Transport and Main Roads is involved at a number of stages in the development and review of local government planning schemes as shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 Planning Scheme Development and Review Process

Preparation of Planning Scheme

When a local government is preparing their planning scheme they may chose to engage with Transport and Main Roads. Early consultation in planning scheme preparation assists in determining the outcomes Transport and Main Roads expect for the local government area with regard to state interests. This early engagement compliments the formal ‘whole of government’ State Interest Review Process. 

First State Interest Review

As part of the ‘whole of government’ state interest review process, local governments submit their draft planning schemes to the state government for formal state interest review. As a state agency, Transport and Main Roads has a role in the first state interest review stage to review the draft planning scheme. In the review of the draft planning scheme, Transport and Main Roads identifies whether the draft planning scheme has addressed the department’s state interests and provides comment to local governments on the draft planning scheme. Once the department is satisfied that all Transport and Main Roads state interests have been addressed, the department can endorse the draft planning scheme for public consultation.

Second State Interest Review

Transport and Main Roads is involved in the second state interest review stage. The second state interest review is primarily a checking stage, to ensure that state interests have been addressed and any changes as a result of public consultation don’t conflict with state interests. Ideally any major concerns, the department has with the representation of state interests in the draft planning scheme are resolved as part of the first state interest review.  The second state interest review is primarily an opportunity to check that the final draft planning scheme has addressed all of Transport and Main Road’s state interests. 

The department’s involvement in planning schemes is guided by Statutory Guideline 02/09 Making or Amending Local Planning Instruments.

Further information on Transport and Main Roads involvement in planning schemes

For more information on Transport and Main Roads involvement in planning schemes please contact:

Manager (Planning Coordination)
Development Leadership
Integrated Transport Planning Division

Phone: 3146 1503

Email: planningschemes@tmr.qld.gov.au

Priority Infrastructure Plans

All local government planning schemes are required to include a priority infrastructure plan. Priority infrastructure plans are prepared by local governments to plan, deliver and charge for essential infrastructure including roads, sewage and water in an equitable and transparent manner. Priority infrastructure plans play a crucial role in integrating land use and transport infrastructure planning by identifying areas in which new development is supported by existing and planned infrastructure for the life of the plan.

Transport and Main Roads has a role in the development of priority infrastructure plans as a state infrastructure provider (state-controlled roads, railways etc). In conjunction with the Department of Local Government and Planning, Transport and Main Roads works with local governments in preparing their priority infrastructure plans.  This ensures an agreed approach to the delivery of local and state infrastructure. For more information on Priority Infrastructure Plans please see the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning website.

Further information on priority infrastructure plans

For more information on priority infrastructe plans please contact:

Manager (Planning Coordination)
Development Leadership
Integrated Transport Planning Division

Phone: 3146 1503

Email: priorityinfrastructureplans@tmr.qld.gov.au