In existing urban areas, new housing opportunities close to employment and other well-frequented services will create a series of specific ‘nodes’, creating a focal point for the surrounding urban community.

Development of this kind will be required to respond sensitively to the surrounding character and amenity and may include business activities at street level to create vibrancy and activity.

Zones that encourage a range of uses and activities are proposed next to major roads and transit corridors, close to existing activity centres where our communities already gather to work, stay and play. These include:

• the Coastal Corridor between Maroochydore to Caloundra
• Sippy Downs
• Nambour
• Beerwah.

With an emphasis on high standards of urban and landscape design, mixed use development will deliver leafy, cool, green streets through deep planted landscapes and street level connection between people and the surrounding environment.

Importantly, many communities in these areas will remain in the Low Density Residential Zone , with increased housing concentrated in areas with existing or planned public transport infrastructure.

The proposed planning scheme provides for modest and targeted increases for building heights in certain locations, while many other locations are proposed to remain unchanged.

The Height Overlay identifies the maximum height of new buildings and structures on all land covered by the proposed planning scheme. For residential and business activities, building heights will be regulated by the maximum number of storeys, rather than height in metres alone, helping communities better understand building height allowances and encouraging improved design outcomes, for example, increased internal ceiling heights.

Importantly, proposed changes to building heights have been carefully considered and continue to recognise the Sunshine Coast as its own place, different from other metropolitan areas. Careful planning for only incremental building height adjustments helps us keep our community and local environment uniquely ‘Sunshine Coast’.

The proposed planning scheme seeks to improve housing supply by providing for the development of dual occupancy and secondary dwellings in the Low Density Residential Zone and development of small residential lots in the Low Medium Density Residential Zone.

• Dual occupancy - refers to two similar sized dwellings on the same lot, for example a duplex.
• Secondary dwelling - means a smaller second home, like a granny flat or tiny home.
• Small residential lot - home sites less than 450m2.

All these types of homes are required to be consistent with the intended character of the zone they are located in.

Allowing for innovative and new housing styles like tiny homes, duplexes and smaller residential lots provides more homes for our community in established and well-serviced areas, while preserving the amenity and lifestyle of existing housing.

Click the image below to explore a visual representation of the Low-Medium Density Residential Zone.

The Sunshine Coast region is not alone in the challenge to address declining housing affordability. Pressures on available housing, decreasing rental vacancies, changing household demographics and increasing housing costs are challenges across South East Queensland and beyond.

Affordability is a complex issue, and the proposed planning scheme is only one of many possible initiatives from many levels of government, which can work towards improving affordability.

The proposed planning scheme includes initiatives such as:

• targets for the provision of affordable and social housing in new communities
• housing diversity outcomes for larger multi-unit residential developments
• new provisions for creating small residential lots
• revised provisions to support provision of secondary dwellings
• some concessions for parking and building heights for affordable build-to-rent homes, or community housing proposals.

The Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) contains Council’s long-term plans for ‘trunk infrastructure’ to meet the needs of our growing community. Trunk infrastructure includes:

• water supply
• sewerage
• stormwater quality and capacity
• transport (roads and active transport)
• public parks and land for community facilities.

The LGIP forms part of Council’s planning scheme and identifies trunk infrastructure that is necessary to service urban development at the desired standards of service in a coordinated, efficient, and financially sustainable manner.

An updated Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is being prepared in association with the proposed planning scheme, and has an emphasis on planning for appropriate levels of infrastructure capacity into the future to service predicted urban development, as provided for under the proposed planning scheme.

Major infrastructure that supports housing growth like public transport and highway upgrades tends to be responsibility of the State and Federal Governments. More local infrastructure priorities are identified by the LGIP.

Further information about the LGIP is available in the Local Government Infrastructure Plan Information Sheet

As the Sunshine Coast continues to thrive, we need transport that connects and delivers our communities to work, leisure and loved ones.

The proposed planning scheme recognises existing and planned high frequency public transport hubs and provides for housing growth in these areas.

State Government planning is underway for a new coastal transit system, and a rail link.

Active transport solutions for walking and riding provide an important role in our integrated transport network and help us to improve our wellbeing, minimise cars on the road and reduce our impact on climate change.

The proposed planning scheme has been prepared with a view to supporting and enhancing active transport opportunities and includes:

• revised mapping outlining paths and routes for active transport
• improved road cross sections prioritising comfortable shared walking and riding paths
• enhanced opportunities for new housing in locations close to centres of employment, services and recreation, creating walkable neighbourhoods and reducing cars on our road.

Well managed car parking helps the community, visitors and business on the Sunshine Coast to access and deliver services in our region. Parking needs vary depending on location, but generally the proposed planning scheme addresses community concerns around car parking impacts by:

• retaining on-demand onsite parking rates for residential development
• including new provisions to provide storage space in unit developments, leaving garages free for car parking
• maintaining minimum front boundary setbacks for garages in dwelling houses, which leaves space for driveway parking
• requiring dedicated charging bays and infrastructure for electric vehicles in certain types of developments.

Climate change is likely to be the biggest challenge for our future. It will affect our liveability, health, natural environment and economy.

It is critical that development is responsive to the challenges posed by climate change. The proposed planning scheme aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience. To help achieve this, the proposed planning scheme prioritises:

• a more compact and sustainable pattern of settlement
• increasing resilience and not expanding into areas highly exposed to natural hazards
• new coastal hazards and flood risk mapping and updated code requirements
• new flood storage areas in the Maroochy River floodplain and other important floodplains
• updated requirements for landslide hazard and steep land areas
• revised mapping and code requirements for development in areas prone to bushfire hazards
• revision of requirements for stormwater management and overland flow
• a strong focus on vegetation retention and deep planting
• a strong focus on designing for our sub-tropical climate, reflecting Sunshine Coast Design principles.

Read more about planning for natural hazards in the Information sheets section

Identifying and protecting our growth management boundaries, both strategically and locally, delivers many benefits to our community. Containing urban sprawl by minimising development into our ‘green frame’ is essential to protecting habitats and viability of our local native animal populations.

The proposed planning scheme includes new mapping and provisions promoting protection for our sea turtles, developed through consultation with experts in this field. By reducing impacts of lighting near turtle nesting habitats we can improve outcomes for the loggerhead and green turtle, two key species nesting on our beaches.

Koalas are a beloved icon of our local wildlife, and will be protected through improved alignment between the proposed planning scheme provisions and existing state-level habitat protections identified in the South East Queensland Regional Plan.

The Sunshine Coast enjoys a diversity of natural landscapes that play a pivotal role in our community’s wellbeing, providing easy-to-access places to recharge and explore. This ‘green frame’ is also essential to our region’s healthy environment and a cornerstone of our tourism offering.

The proposed planning scheme identifies our green frame and prioritises a sustainable settlement pattern, protecting areas like:

• the Moreton Bay - Sunshine Coast Regional Inter-Urban Break
• the Lower Mooloolah River Greenspace
• the Blue Heart.

This ensures the important environmental and regional landscape role these areas play is preserved and remains accessible for many generations to come.

A robust green frame requires responsible ecosystem management throughout our whole region. The proposed planning scheme provides further protection for our waterways, wetlands and natural vegetation with greater recognition of their critical role in supporting our day-to-day life, our resilience to climate and heat and our access to clean air, water and food sources.

The proposed planning scheme provides room for industry to grow. The Sunshine Coast has a limited supply of industrial land so the proposed planning scheme includes measures to ensure existing and new industrial land is preserved for industrial activities.

To replenish a diminishing supply of industrial land, the proposed planning scheme also provides additional land within the new Industry Zone at Beerwah, Corbould Park and Yandina. Overall, the proposed planning scheme aims to increase the supply of zoned industrial land supply across the Sunshine Coast region by approximately 18% to help support our continued economic growth.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan identifies additional industrial land in Yandina on the southern side of Yandina-Coolum Road. The proposed planning scheme has included this land in an Industry Zone and sets guidance on appropriate development in the interim.

The proposed planning scheme provides for well-defined urban villages that offer a range of housing options with the introduction of a new Mixed-Use Zone. Where appropriate, this zone will bring homes and business together to encourage vibrant daytime and night-time economies close to transport and major centres.

Both the Mixed Use Zone and the Innovation Zone will provide opportunities for creative and emerging businesses that suit our region and its communities.

Through changes to industry thresholds and tables of assessment, the proposed planning scheme will also better accommodate innovative activities in tourism, hospitality and craft industries.

Rural and agricultural productivity plays an important role in the Sunshine Coast’s diverse economy. The proposed planning scheme continues to support these activities with new protections for agricultural land through the Agricultural Land Overlay. This productivity will be supported by the continued allowance of compatible activities like agritourism and agribusiness in our rural areas.

For further details, please refer to th Rural Land and Activities Information Sheet.