SEQ2001: A PLAN FOR AN UNDER-DEVELOPED ECONOMY - ATTACHMENT A

Attachment B  [CPDS Home}

KEY ISSUES IN 'CREATING OUR FUTURE'

INTRODUCTION: SE Queensland is growing rapidly (eg by 1 million over the next 20 years), requiring extensive services, and placing stress on the region. A 1990 conference discussed issues facing the region and agreed on the production of a growth management strategy. RPAG was established to do this in July 1991. The goal was to ensure, by co-operative regional planning, that growth did not reduce regional amenity. The output is a Vision; a Framework for Growth Management; and proposed institutional arrangements.

THE VISION: The vision is that SE Queensland becomes internationally renowned for its livability, natural environment and economic vitality. The vision involves: several discrete regional centres surrounded by open spaces; accessibility of services to people; movement by flexible and efficient public transport; clustering of mutually supporting economic activity for productivity and creativity; affordable housing; efficient and integrated urban form; rich community life; protection and management of natural assets; waste minimisation; ongoing management involving participation as also sensitivity and flexibility to respond to change.

CONTEXT: SE Qld has rich natural resources which can be the basis of productive food, fibre, mineral and construction industries. Human activities are placing pressures on, and creating conflicts over, those resources. Local Authorities are the main agents for community planning, but many issues do not stop at their boundaries. Social changes are also occurring in the region affecting: cultural diversity; age and household structure; availability of housing and jobs; shifts away from public transport; gap in delivery of human services; and recreation. SE Queensland accounts for 57% of the State's economy, and has mainly a service based economy, which has experienced rapid growth in parallel with population growth. Attractions to industrial location include: access to Asia / Pacific markets; transport infrastructure; rail access; industrial land; and low business costs. Growth management can reduce costs and increase certainty of industrial location. The state development policy Queensland - Leading State provides an economic framework. Identified opportunities include: value added manufacturing; technology, education and training; tourism and international events; transport and distribution for Australia and the Pacific; and regional services. Approaches to rapid growth (which may have adverse effects) could range from: allowing market forces to act; planning and management of growth; or control of growth (eg population / building limits). Gaps in available data make it impossible to define the regional carrying capacity. It is better to: protect key resources; define limits of acceptable changes to environmental parameters; monitor performance; and develop policies to avoid crossing those limits. Goals would be achieved by defining: preferred pattern of development; policies for protecting environmental and economic resources; and institutions to co-ordinate urban development. 15 issues were examined to the allow pattern of development and policies to be defined.

ACHIEVING THE VISION: More appropriate policies will be needed than those which have allowed the attractiveness of SE Queensland to be reduced in the past. RPAG commissioned 15 draft policy papers by five working groups. The basis for the growth strategy is a Preferred Pattern of Urban Development. Preparing this required: identifying likely population growth; analysis of three scenarios for distributing that population; and using the experience gained to propose a pattern which met the vision and the goals of the policy papers. The main features of the preferred pattern were: more compact urban development; accelerated growth in Brisbane and Pine Rivers / Caboolture; increased choice of living environments; faster growth of jobs / services in outer metropolitan area in 3 regional centres (Logan / Beenleigh, Ipswich, Pine Rivers) to serve 500,000, and have good rail systems; emphasis on public transport and arterial roads; creating a regional open space system; improved environmental standards; and identification of long term urban areas.

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT: It is important to consider the relationship of environmental and economic resources in forming the Preferred Pattern, and in local planning activities. Natural economic resources would be protected from urban encroachment especially: agricultural land; and deposits of extractive minerals. Small subdivisions on agricultural land should be discouraged. Mineral deposits should be identified, be worked with minimal environmental impact, and costs shared. Outstanding natural resources should be protected and managed especially vegetation, habitats. Settlement patterns should minimise impact on critical waterways, catchments and air quality. Parks should be extended to include full bio-diversity of region. Regional Conservation and State Planning Policies for nature conservation are required. Conservation would be enhanced by: co-operative identification of resources; incentives for private landowners; and preparing statements of conservation value. Key flora conservation initiatives can be defined. Both a State Policy and a Regional Water Resources Management Strategy (based on integrated catchment management and ecologically sustainable development) are required, as is a Regional Coastal Management Plan. Regional water quality objectives should be defined, a database assembled, and rational land use achieved by the adoption of regional standards to be implemented through Local Authority planning. A regional open space system (ROSS) would involve discrete human scale centres framed by a network of open spaces linking mountains to the coast, providing recreational opportunities near residential areas. The ROSS would include key open space areas in linear 'greenways', and be created by a Development Fund. A broad range of recreation settings should be provided. Separate lead agencies should deal with open space and recreation, supported by State policies for these functions and a Regional Management Co-ordination Committee.

SETTLEMENT PATTERN: Disadvantages of unmanaged land uses are: environmental damage; excessive land usage; high costs; difficulties with infrastructure; and falling quality of life. A clear idea of regional patterns of land use is vital. Places to live and work will be clustered to minimise the need for travel (and air pollution). Productivity and creativity will be promoted by clustering of supportive activity. Brisbane would be the major centre, with three other key strategic regional centres with notional 500,000 population and good public (especially rail) transport. Other regional centres would be promoted with nominal populations of 50-150,000. Service and light industrial activities would be encouraged adjacent to the major centres, as would medium density housing. Integrated plans would be prepared for the major centres. Government facilities would stimulate growth of key centres, as would priority in planning, promotion and resource allocation. Growth centres would be supported by all governments through: streamlined statutory approvals; incentives; performance based approach; and infrastructure funding mechanisms to apportion costs. Industry to provide employment to rapidly growing population need maximising the region's attraction for broadly based economic development especially in targeted sectors of: tourism and events; technology education and training; value added manufacturing; and transport and distribution. Economic opportunities should be spread across the region. Land should be provided for key growth activities, and job opportunities created in key growth centres. Business should be encouraged in growth areas. Tourism activities should be concentrated. Funding should be provided for upgrading infrastructure, and assessment of regionally significant industries. Advisory groups would comment on relative importance of economic activities, and on priorities for specific industries. Community life will feature cultural diversity, participation, concern for other's welfare and urban forms with a sense of identity and direction. Cultural mapping and development should be undertaken, with specific attention to non English speaking groups, and integration of cultural facilities into mixed use developments. More compact urban forms will build 'critical mass' activities and cultural infrastructure. Livability will be achieved by managing regional environment, ensuring all areas are well serviced and safe, promoting diversity and choice, practising good design and integrated planning. Residential planning will consider efficient land use, infrastructure, choice, accessibility and affordability by: targeting higher densities; encouraging mixed uses around urban nodes; and using AMCORD residential design guidelines. More compact urban areas will be achieved through development management of new areas, and will reduce transport requirements. Infrastructure would be integrated into urban planning, cost effectively sequenced, co-ordinated and more flexible. Rural residential uses should continue (and be further infilled) in areas not required for urban growth. Integrated plans should be prepared and managed, to ensure that rural residential uses do not contribute to environmental degradation or loss of agricultural land.

SERVICES: Services are basic to modern communities. Transport will be integrated with land use, and include interchanges at major urban centres. Special attention is also given to water supplies, and to waste disposal. For two decades services have lagged population growth and now need priority. Transport of people will involve public transport and rapid transit systems, which current low densities inhibit. This will reduce costs and pollution. Integrated transport and urban land use planning is vital. Transport investment would be a key to achieving regional objectives, especially shifting activity from the Brisbane CBD. Increased urban densities and industrial development will be concentrated near railway stations. A single organisation should manage public transport in the region, which would be designed to reduce motor vehicle dependence. A transport strategy should also consider the needs of industry, and high quality external linkages. Integrated freight transport and storage should be arranged, with special provision for heavy and hazardous materials. Road systems should involve road hierarchies, special provisions for high occupancy vehicles and demand management. Public transport should consider the disabled, be supplemented by flexible services if mass transport is uneconomic, and be initiated as soon as residential growth begins. Priority would be given to proposed growth centres. Land for freeway system for interurban travel should be protected. Human services would be more accessible to all. They have not kept pace with population for two decades. A Social Justice Strategy is needed to: influence resource allocation; consider spatial inequalities; establish baseline service levels; ensure social objectives are considered by Government agencies; facilitate affordable housing, jobs and community facilities; and promote participation in planning. Local authorities should undertake social impact analyses of developments. Multiple disadvantaged areas (eg Ipswich / Inala, Logan and northern Albert, north Pine Rivers / Deception Bay, Caboolture) should have special programs, and will benefit from creation of strategic regional centres. Human services should be located for maximum accessibility, but at present only central areas are well served. Major facilities should be located in designated major centres. Water demands will increase significantly, requiring co-operative and co-ordinated solutions, though excess water supply capacity exists. Preferred development proposals allow available additional resources to be accessed. A Regional Water Infrastructure Plan should be prepared, and mechanisms established to co-ordinate planning. Institutional arrangements should ensure efficient water supply. Local Councils should set minimum water standards, total management plans for water. Demand should be managed to protect key resources. Pricing should reflect actual costs. Wastewater management requires appropriate administrative arrangements, mechanisms for co-ordinated planning, total management plans, service and performance indicators. Solid waste will be minimised and environmentally responsible technologies used. Waste production will double over 20 years, requiring a Regional Waste Management Strategy, local Solid Waste Management Plans, subregional organisations. New standards should be set by Government and a Waste Minimisisation and Recycling Strategy defined. Private participation should be encouraged.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS: Many regional issues transcend existing institutions, and costs can be reduced if growth is managed well. Principles for a better system for growth management are: building on existing organisations; capability for co-ordination based on co-operation; supporting community rather than sectional values; linking land use to desired economic, social and environmental outcomes; monitoring of process and of trends in migration and development; co-ordinating works programs; and monitoring the regional plans. The problem is to translate regional objectives (which have many different time scales) into outcomes. This must involve a two way exchange between local authorities (the main planning agencies) and State Government through a co-operative process. The latter will involve all levels of Government and non Government interest groups working through a Regional Co-ordinating Committee, to develop: shared regional vision; framework for growth management; a regional outline plan; subregional structure plans; local strategic plans; and a clear policy agenda. Statutory planning will involve: use of strategic plans; development control plans; and Governments' adherence to Regional Framework for Growth Management and State Planning Policies. A Draft Regional Outline Plan consists of the Preferred Pattern of Development; Environmental Constraints Map; along with the principles underpinning them. After review by Governments and interest groups, it is hoped to gain agreement on a Regional Outline Plan in early 1994, which will demand compliance from State and Local Governments. For it to be a State Planning Policy for SEQ may require state decision making and statutory planning machinery. Sub-regional Structure Plans will emerge from refinement of the preferred pattern to mesh with local Strategic Plans. This is required because of: scale and diversity of region; appropriateness to many services; and scope for local authority co-operation. Matters for resolution include: open space, natural resource constraints etc; future growth areas; employment areas; future services related to land use and transport plans; water supply and waste management. Local Strategic Plans will have to conform with regional outline and subregional structure plans. Wiser considerations than in the past will include social, economic, community, environmental and budgetary parameters. Ways of accommodating growth must be indicated. They may be prepared at the subregional level. They must be linked to Council's Strategic Plans, Services Programs and Corporate Planning Process. Service Programs would allow State and Commonwealth services to be co-ordinated with local government planning. The preferred pattern for development will allow a shared context for planning whose key outcome would be a services program to assist: with information; co-ordination; identification of projects; budgeting; and cost estimating. A Services Program should include the works programs of all significant authorities in the region. A Regional Co-ordination Committee would represent all levels of Government and be a conduit for passing sub-regional services programs to Government budgetary deliberations. It will: co-ordinate; resolve conflicts; ensure the Regional Framework for Growth Management is complied with; promote subregional and local planning; compile regional services programs; and ensure integrity of regional outline plans. Community Participation would be through a regional Non-Governmental Sector Committee, on special advisory groups and on steering groups for subregional structure plans. Principles for involvement would include: information exchange to raise understanding; determining own representation; adequate resourcing; allowing sufficient time; and training agencies in managing community involvement. A Secretariat / Resources Unit should be established in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning. It would overcome one of major problems which is lack of information about development in the region. It would also: assist with sub-regional structure planning; review service programs; advise the Regional Co-ordination Council on subregional structure plans; assess service programs relative to regional outline plan; monitor trends in the region; and recommend the need for amendments to the Regional Outline Plan. The Regional Outline Plan should be agreed by early 1994, and translated into local strategic plans over two years. Regional services programs will be completed over the same period. The model proposed is designed to ensure scarce public and private resources are allocated efficiently as growth occurs, and could be a model for the rest of Australia.