Proposed Planning Scheme Amendment

Overview

Current Status of Major Amendment No. 2 to the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017

Council is committed to ensuring that the Planning Scheme meets and responds to current and emerging community needs and changes in legislation.  The purpose of the proposed Major Amendment No. 2 is to ensure future land use and development is adequately facilitated while being appropriately located and designed to support the growth, prosperity and health of the people and environment of the Western Downs Region during the balance of the planning period of the planning scheme.

As part of the Planning Act 2016 in Queensland, the Minister's Guidelines and Rules set out the process for making and amending local government planning instruments like the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017. The amendment process takes time (about 12 to 24 months, depending on the size of the amendment) as it involves research, consultation and review from Council and the Queensland Government. For further information on the planning scheme amendment process in Queensland, please visit Queensland Government - Planning Framework. 

Please be advised that the consultation period in which submissions could be lodged for proposed Major Amendment No. 2 concluded at 5pm on 3 September 2024. Thank you to the members of the community who have taken the time to lodge submissions on Proposed Major Amendment No. 2 during this period.  

Council has now considered all submissions received during the consultation period and has prepared a Consultation Report which provides a summary of all matters raised and any additional changes proposed to the Amendment as a result of the submissions received. The Consultation Report has now been adopted by Council and is available to the public for consideration and can be accessed the link below: 

Consultation Report(PDF, 4MB)

Council will formally respond in writing to all submissions (properly made or not properly made) received, advising the submitters on the outcome of their submission. Please be advised that if no amendments were made in response to a submissions, Council may consider the matters raised in these submissions in future amendments to the Planning Scheme.

At the ordinary Meeting on 21 November 2024, Council endorsed Major Amendment 2, including amendments made in response to the submissions received during the public notification period.  Council will now relodge the Major Amendment 2 and the supporting information including the consultation report, with the Planning Minister seeking approval for the adoption.

The proposed Major Amendment No. 2 to the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017.

Proposed Major Amendment No. 2

•  (PDF, 8MB)Download a copy of the marked-up Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017(PDF, 8MB), illustrating proposed Major Amendment No. 2, excluding mapping which is downloadable separately below.
• Download a register of amendments(PDF, 349KB), to assist you in navigating the part of the planning scheme impacted by the amendments.
• Download a register of the mapping amendments(PDF, 434KB), illustrating properties impacted by changes in Zoning as a result of the amendment.

Note: The version of the Planning Scheme and related mapping accessible on Council's website have been updated to reflect the minor amendments made in response to submissions, as outlined in attached Consultation Report. It is recommended that the attached amendment registers and fact sheet summaries of the changes are read in conjunction with the Consultation Report for a complete understanding of the updated amendments proposed to adopted Major Amendment 2. 

Proposed Maps

Click the links below to download the proposed new mapping to be used for Schedule 2 of the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 as proposed by Major Amendment No. 2.

Note: Changes are not proposed to the Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) mapping as part of Major Amendment No. 2. A separate plan-making process is required to amend an LGIP.

Fact Sheets

The following factsheets may assist you in understanding key aspects of the proposed Major Amendment No. 2 and its effect:

• What is a planning scheme and how do I read a planning scheme(PDF, 1MB)
• Summary of key proposed changes(PDF, 952KB)