Strategic plan review recommended to service growing communities
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A review of a key Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) strategic plan that forms part of the Planning Scheme has been recommended to more efficiently service the region’s growing communities with essential infrastructure.
TRC’s Planning and Development Committee today (November 10) recommended that Council resolves to review the Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) in line with complementary work to make a new Planning Scheme.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said the statutory update of the LGIP, which would be renamed the Toowoomba Region Infrastructure Plan (TRIP), would result in a plan to more efficiently cater for population and employment growth.
“Toowoomba Regional Council was the second local authority in Queensland after Logan city to adopt a new infrastructure plan into our Planning Scheme in 2017,” Mayor Antonio said.
“The Planning Act requires that local governments undertake a major review every five years. Starting a review now will allow us time to make improvements within that time.
“The LGIP is the critical ingredient for responsibly delivering urban development in accordance with the Toowoomba Region Planning Scheme.
“Without coordinated infrastructure planning and delivery we cannot have ongoing urban development.
“We know our region will continue to grow and our planning will enable Council to estimate the cost of trunk infrastructure for which it is then able to levy infrastructure charges on development to help cover the cost of providing trunk infrastructure for new growth areas.”
TRC Planning and Development Committee Acting Chair Cr Bill Cahill said the LGIP review was part of the Toowoomba Region Futures program, which would align the work of the overarching Regional Growth Plan, the new Planning Scheme and the LGIP.
Cr Cahill said the LGIP identified trunk infrastructure (water, sewerage, stormwater, transport, parks and land needed for community facilities) that was required to service urban development at the desired standard for our future communities.
“The LGIP is Council’s financial commitment to the community and the Queensland Treasury Corporation for the sustainable provision of critical urban infrastructure,” Cr Cahill said.
“The LGIP is part of the Planning Scheme that deals with development infrastructure. It provides transparency around Council’s provision of trunk infrastructure and allows Council to impose conditions relating to necessary trunk infrastructure on development approvals.
“Planning for infrastructure is a key part of the land use planning system across Queensland as it identifies the infrastructure required to service growth in an efficient, sequential and orderly manner. This offers certainty to communities and the development industry on the future of our region.
“Council will review the information in the plan covering predictions about future development and the type, cost, size and expected timing of infrastructure.
“These details feed into other Council business functions such as asset management plans, capital works programs and financial plans.”
The recommendation will be considered for adoption at next Tuesday’s (November 17) November Ordinary meeting of Council.