About the Project:
UP North was engaged by Burdekin Shire Council to undertake a comprehensive review of the Burdekin Shire Planning Scheme, which commenced in March 2023. The review was initiated in response to Ministerial Conditions imposed at adoption, recommendations from the State regarding cultural heritage, and Council’s own operational observations during the scheme’s first two years of implementation.
The project assessed the Planning Scheme’s overall operation, policy alignment, and effectiveness – focusing on improvements to streamline assessment, reduce regulatory burden, and ensure better integration with State and regional planning instruments, including the North Queensland Regional Plan and State Planning Policy 2017.
Key themes included the protection of agricultural land, rural subdivision policy, industrial land servicing, housing diversity, and clearer development assessment pathways. Engagement with Council officers, councillors, and key external stakeholders helped shape recommendations for a major amendment to address zoning, assessment levels, infrastructure coordination, and mapping issues. The project also aligned with Burdekin’s Local Housing Action Plan and emerging Local Government Infrastructure Plan.
Deliverables:
