Frequently Asked Questions

The cadastral boundaries of the Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area (STPFGA) are not defined in ShapingSEQ or the Redland City Plan. 

To commence confidential investigations for the area, Council resolved at its General Meeting on 9 October 2019 to endorse the spatial boundaries for the STPFGA area.  

Following consideration of a confidential report on the STPFGA Council resolved at its General Meeting on 16 September, to write to the Planning Minister on 25 September 2020 and to commence a public consultation period on the draft proposals commencing on 28 September 2020.

The decision makes the Council Report and attachments, including the spatial extent of the Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area publicly available.These documents are also available for download in the 'Documents' section of this web page.

In the South East Queensland Regional Plan (ShapingSEQ), Southern Thornlands is identified as a Potential Future Growth Area (PFGA). 

ShapingSEQ states that STPFGA may be required to accommodate long term urban growth. Accordingly, these areas are located in the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area (i.e. outside the Urban Footprint). 

This land use designation is assigned to protect these areas from further development and fragmentation that would prejudice their ability to accommodate future urban development.

Specific commentary within Part C: Sub-regional directions of ShapingSEQ contains the following statement:

'Redland City Council is required to investigate this area in the short-term, including its potential as a future employment area. The investigations must determine its appropriate use, with the intent of the area defined, and appropriately reflected in the planning scheme, by the end of 2019.'

This directive provides a rationale for undertaking investigations to consider the suitability of the STPFGA to accommodate employment generating and other uses before 2041.

Council resolved at the General Meeting on 19 January 2022 to commence the preparation of a major amendment to Part 3 - Strategic Framework of City Plan to reflect the preferred future land use intents for the Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area outlined in Attachment 10 – Scenario 4 of the Council report.  Council also resolved to submit this report and attachments to the Planning Minister:

a)   Outlining the outcomes of the Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area public consultation.

b)   Including the proposed amendment as determined by Council, in accordance with Chapter 2, Part 4, Sections 16 and 17 of the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules.

c)   Noting that urban residential land uses are inconsistent with Council’s preferred future land use intents for the area.

A copy of the Council report and resolution can be found in the meeting minutes from the 19 January General Meeting.

Council considered a revised report at its General Meeting on 15 December 2021. However, Council resolved that the report be deferred to:

• Consider alternative scenarios (i.e. preferred future land use intents for the STPFGA) that Council may choose to pursue if it decides not to adopt the officer recommendation; and
• Allow further consideration of the matters raised in the public consultation report.

The key changes to the reports are as follows:

Preferred future land use intents: the revised officer recommendations did not support proceeding with the Rural Residential Precinct. This change was made in response to feedback provided from the State Planning Department via the State Planner, as reflected in Attachment 5 in  the 19 January 2022 report.

Alternative scenarios (options) for proceeding with a major amendment to City Plan: Council requested further information on alternative options for proceeding with a major amendment to City Plan. An expanded section of the report provided further information on these four alternative scenarios. 

No. In resolving to proceed with Scenario 4 (Attachment 10), Council’s preferred future land use intent map for the STPFGA is different to the map that was released for public consultation. The key difference is that the area previously referred to as the intensive horticulture precinct (the green precinct in the public consultation version of the STPFGA preferred future land use map) now forms part of the rural residential precinct. The basis for this decision is explained in the video recording of the Council meeting dated 19 January 2022, available here.

Now that Council has adopted the public consultation review report and determined to proceed with a major amendment to City Plan, the next steps in the process will be to:

• Advise submitters how Council has considered their submissions; and
• Formally submit the amendment to the Planning Minister for Review of State Interests in accordance with the requirements of the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules.

Council undertook public consultation on the proposed future land use intents for the STPFGA between 28 September 2020 to 20 November 2020. The consultation period ran for 39 business days (excluding the Queen's Birthday public holiday on Monday 5 October 2020).

At the end of the consultation period, Council officers collated feedback from the community on the proposed future land use intents and prepared a public submission report. The report was attached to the 19 January 2022 Council report and is available for download via the ‘Documents’ section on this web page.

Most likely. On 19 January 2022 Council resolved to proceed with a major amendment to City Plan to give statutory effect to the preferred future land use intents for the STPFGA. The amendment will now be submitted to the State Government for State Interest Review, in accordance with the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules (MGR). Subject to the Planning Minister’s approval, the proposed future amendment will be released for an additional public consultation phase, as required by the MGR.

Any future consultation will be publicly notified via Council's website, the government gazette and local newspaper. Landowners within the STPFGA are also likely to receive direct correspondence in the form of letters and/or a newsletter.

Council decided to develop a Rural Enterprise Industry Sector Plan before undertaking the requisite investigations outlined in ShapingSEQ. The action plan was adopted by Council on 17 June 2020 and is available on Council's website: https://www.redland.qld.gov.au/download/downloads/id/3314/redlands_coast_rural_enterprise_industry_sector_plan_2019-2024.pdf. 

ShapingSEQ is the Queensland Government's plan to guide the future of the South East Queensland region. It provides a regional framework for managing urban growth by identifying a long-term sustainable development pattern and ensuring that land use and infrastructure planning are well integrated. 

The ShapingSEQ 2023 document is available for viewing here.

ShapingSEQ 2023 reaffirms regional objectives for creating well-designed, strategically located communities that offer diverse social and affordable housing options and an uplift in urban density while being well-connected to transport, economic, and employment opportunities. 

The strategy emphasises local governments' continued and critical role in achieving these outcomes through place-based planning, development assessment, and plan-making. One of the key challenges in urban planning is facilitating increased urban densities in preferred locations such as Cleveland and Capalaba, localities with existing infrastructure, access to jobs, public transport, and lifestyle opportunities. 

Decisions to expand the urban footprint and allow growth in areas with no or limited supporting infrastructure undermine this objective. 

Council was directed by the State Government to investigate this area's potential as a future employment area. 

The State Government requires Council to undertake investigations to determine appropriate area use(s), and to reflect those uses in future City Plan.     

By email: rcc@redland.qld.gov.au – using the subject title ‘Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area’.

By phone: (07) 3829 8999 – request to speak to the strategic planning unit.