The Settlement Pattern has been updated to better reflect the region’s unique identify, values and long-term growth needs.

Key changes include:

• Replacing the previous broad “Land Use Categories” with more distinct “Place Types”. Thirteen (13) Place Types have been identified to better describe the character, function and role of different parts of the region. A new Planning scheme policy for place types and urban design principles has been introduced to provide guidance relating to the place types.
• Identifying “Investigation Areas” for potential future urban growth, rural residential, township and industry growth. These areas are not intended for development until further detailed investigations are undertaken.
• Identifying Future Strategic Green Corridors, which:
  • Are located within urban growth investigation areas where recent flood studies have been completed.
  • Prioritize hydrological and ecological functions, while also accommodating water quality outcomes, active transport, open space and recreation where appropriate.
  • Are intended to safeguard key corridors pending further detailed planning.
  • Are supported by a new Planning Scheme Policy for waterway corridors.
• Identifying “Infill catalyst areas” which have potential to deliver significant urban redevelopment opportunities. The redevelopment of infill catalyst areas will be a catalyst for change to the existing urban form. Three infill catalyst areas have been identified:
  • Bay TAFE site (Hervey Bay Medical Precinct);
  • Tavistock Street Council Administration Centre; and
  • Edge of Maryborough CBD.

The Economic Resources and Development theme of the Strategic Framework has been refreshed to reflect the current economic outcomes sought for the region. The content has been restructured to operate more effectively as an assessment benchmark for impact assessable development.

Key changes include:

• Revising the Hierarchy of Centres to include direction on the role and function of Enterprise, education and employment areas, activity nodes and centers.
• Including direction on the outcomes sought for the regions Rural and natural landscape areas.
• Clearly recognizing sport and recreation facilities as important economic and employment generating assets.
• Updating the following mapping layers to align with state requirements:
  • Forestry areas
  • Important agricultural areas
  • Extractive resource area transport routes
  • Extractive resource areas
  • Fish habitat areas
  • Stock route network
• Identifying industry investigation areas, being locations with potential for future industrial development based on proximity to infrastructure and existing industry, subject to further suitability assessment.

The community wellbeing theme has been refined to improve clarity. The outcomes sought remain largely unchanged.

Key changes include:

• A new specific outcomes relating to incompatible land uses has been added. This seeks to ensure that land uses are located and managed to protect the health, well-being, amenity and safety of the community from the potential adverse impacts of air, water, noise and odour emissions and hazardous materials.

Proposed changes to Natural environment and landscape character theme seek to strengthen how the Fraser Coast’s natural environment and landscape character are managed and protected. The proposed changes also seek to better align with the State Planning Policy.

The proposed changes clarify desired outcomes for:

• Protection of important habitat and biodiversity
• Surface water, groundwater, waterways and wetlands
• Marine and coastal environment
• Scenic amenity and landscape character areas
• Strategic green corridors

Mapping has been updated.

A new theme has been added to the Strategic Framework to express the strategic outcomes sought for natural hazards, climate change and building community resilience in the Fraser Coast region.

The new theme seeks to ensure that the Fraser Coast settlement pattern avoids further expansion into areas at risk of natural hazards.

It also recognises that some Fraser Coast communities are already established in areas that are at risk, or may become more vulnerable over time due to climate change. This includes of the Mary River floodplain, coastal communities, and bushfire-prone rural and semi-rural areas. For these existing communities, the planning scheme seeks to manage and reduce risks in practical and locally appropriate ways. This may include:

• Limiting further intensification of development in high-risk area;
• Improving resilience through building design and site layout; and
• Supporting adaptive responses that help communities better cope with future hazards.

The proposed changes also recognise the important of natural environments – such as wetlands, waterways, dunes, and vegetation – in reducing the impacts of natural hazards. Protecting these areas helps maintain the natural processes that reduce flooding, coastal erosion, heat, and other climate-related risks.

This new theme improves how the Planning Scheme aligns with the States Planning Policy relating to Natural Hazards.

The Transport and Infrastructure theme has been refined to improve clarity and align with current infrastructure mapping. The outcomes sought remain largely unchanged.

Key changes include:

• Reinforcing the desired strategic outcomes for the efficient and coordinated infrastructure delivery.
• Inclusion of requirements for newly identified “Strategic green corridors”.
• Expressing Council's preference for development to connect to reticulated sewer where feasible, rather than relying on on-site sewage facilities.
• Updating mapping to replace the former Major Electricity Infrastructure and Minor Electricity Infrastructure layers with more detailed infrastructure classifications, including:
  • High voltage transmission infrastructure (Powerlink).
  • High voltage distribution infrastructure – substation (Ergon).
  • High voltage distribution infrastructure – major electricity infrastructure (Ergon).

The Access and Mobility theme has been refined to improve clarity and align with current infrastructure mapping. The outcomes sought remain largely unchanged.

Key changes include:

The introduction of the following strategic outcomes sought for the layout and design of the transport system in new communities:

• contributes to safe, healthy and cohesive communities that reduce social isolation and promote community wellbeing;
• include an interconnected system of streets and open spaces that provide safe, pleasant and comfortable walking and cycling environments and support public transport;
• orientate streets and lots to support energy efficient design;
• respond to opportunities and constraints both on site and from the surrounding locality, including ecological and hydrological functions and corridors, topography, scenic amenity and landscape features, natural hazards and other factors;
• enable the efficient development of adjoining land and does not accelerate, place or shift costs of infrastructure to adjoining properties, such as roads and bridges; and
• are designed to integrate with the surrounding transport network to form connected, convenient and safe systems.