The Sunshine Coast will welcome many new residents over the coming years. We are sustainably and responsibly planning for this growth, to protect what we love now and for future generations.
The proposed planning scheme identifies where future growth and development should occur and where some forms of development should be avoided. It plans for our entire region’s future, balancing local and regional planning requirements.
Over the long-term, some change is expected in each local area, but this change is not expected to happen all at once.
The proposed planning scheme focuses growth in business, residential and community activity in our centres, so that our suburban living areas will remain largely unchanged.
View a snapshot of the proposed land use planning vision for the Sunshine Coast in 2046 below.
Careful planning
Council has a deliberate and well-considered strategy to ensure that growth is well planned for in the proposed planning scheme.
The proposed planning scheme seeks to protect our green spaces, enhance scenic landscapes and improve climate resilience by creating a “green frame” around our urban and rural residential communities.
This approach means new homes can be built near jobs, services, entertainment and recreation, connected by existing and planned high frequency public transport. Building new homes close to centres and existing or planned public transport helps create walkable, vibrant communities and preserve our natural and rural landscape by avoiding urban sprawl.
Containing development for urban purposes within our planned urban boundaries delivers many benefits for the liveability of our region. A responsible settlement pattern helps to:
- maintain our identity as a ‘community of communities’
- ensure infrastructure to serve our communities can be planned and delivered more efficiently to benefit those communities
- set up our rural areas for productivity success.
Guiding growth through shared planning
Planning for forecast population growth is a requirement of the State Government and Council has worked hard to balance local needs and regional planning requirements.
The State Government estimates that the population on the Sunshine Coast will increase by 219,000 residents between 2021 and 2046, requiring at least 84,800 new homes during this period. While the proposed planning scheme has been prepared to align with the State’s 2046 dwelling supply targets, change is expected to happen over time, not all at once.
The proposed planning scheme outlines the ‘big-picture’ land use planning vision for the Sunshine Coast through to 2046. However, in Queensland, councils usually review their planning schemes every 10 years. This helps keep the plan up to date with community needs, new technologies, and changes in local, regional, and state policies.