New framework grants landowners greater control over bushfire mitigation measures

More than 500 properties in bushfire-prone areas of Redlands Coast will be better prepared for fire season under a new framework that will allow the owners to remove some protected vegetation for fire mitigation purposes.

Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell said that, prior to the decision at today’s General Meeting, these property owners were unable to undertake vegetation clearing due to building and development covenants in place on each site.

“Bushfire preparation is absolutely essential on Redlands Coast and this new framework will help even more residents across the city – from the islands to the mainland – manage their risk effectively,” the Mayor said.

“Council has adopted the framework taking into account the findings of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements following the devastating 2019–2020 bushfires.

“One of the key recommendations of the Commission focussed on simplifying government approval processes for vegetation management, bushfire mitigation and hazard reduction.

“We want to ensure there are no barriers to residents carrying out necessary hazard reduction works on their property in preparation for severe weather events.

“The goal of Council’s framework is to boost the bushfire resilience of our city and protect as many properties as possible.

“Council respects the important role of covenants in protecting native vegetation and is implementing this framework in the best interests of our community given the ever-present threat of bushfires in Queensland.”

Council will allow property owners in certain bushfire risk categories to maintain a firebreak on their land even if it is subject to a building or development covenant.

The type of clearing that is permitted to take place depends on the property’s size and risk under the Queensland Government’s State Planning Policy ‘bushfire prone area’ mapping.

Properties over 4000sq m classified as having ‘very high’, ‘high’ or ‘medium’ potential bushfire risk are permitted to remove vegetation in accordance with the Queensland Government’s Planning Regulation 2017.

This regulation provides for bushfire mitigation defined as ‘essential management’.

For properties less than 4000sq m identified as having ‘very high’, ‘high’ or ‘medium’ potential bushfire risk in the bushfire hazard mapping, landowners will be permitted to maintain a firebreak of 10m around a lawfully approved dwelling house as defined by the National Construction Code.

These landowners will also be allowed to maintain firebreaks and fire management lines within 3m of certain other buildings and structures and a property’s boundary fence line.

Council will continue to enforce covenants and conditions on development approvals as they relate to vegetation clearing to ensure all removals on private land are for bushfire mitigation purposes only.

For more information about preparing your property for bushfire season, visit the Redland City Council website.

Redland City Council provides a suite of services to 166,873 residents and more than 63,000 residential households across Redlands Coast. Our naturally wonderful city on Quandamooka Country is home to more than 335 kilometres of coastline, six island communities and 12 mainland suburbs.