Sunshine Coast Council has proposed rezoning a parcel of land bordered by Wappa Falls Rd, Creightons Rd & Bracken Fern Rd from Rural Residential to an ‘Emerging Community Zone’.

What is an Emerging Community Zone?

The Sunshine Coast Council definition of this Emerging Community Zone is as follows:

(1) The purpose of the Emerging Community Zone code is to ensure that development is designed and coordinated to achieve safe, healthy and sustainable new urban communities which:-

(a) are well integrated with existing communities;

(b) deliver affordable living opportunities;

(c) provide an appropriate mix and arrangement of activities; and

(d) provide a best practice benchmark for ecological sustainability and the implementation of environmental enhancement and rehabilitation programs.

(2) The purpose of Emerging Community Zone code will be achieved through the following overall outcomes:-

(a) prior to the granting of any development approval or master plan approval for urban purposes:-

(i) interim land uses and other development is predominantly limited to existing uses to ensure that the future potential of the land to be used for urban purposes is not compromised; and

(ii) the sporadic or premature creation of additional lots is avoided;

(b) development in the Palmview Declared Master Planned Area is undertaken in accordance with the Palmview Structure Plan (see Section 10.2 (Palmview Structure Plan)); and

(c) development in other areas not subject to Part 10 (Other plans) is undertaken in accordance with a plan of development that appropriately addresses the matters identified below, and which is implemented via a variation approval or an amendment to the planning scheme:-

(i) development reflects any specific intent statements and local structure planning elements for the area identified in a local plan code;

(ii) development avoids as far as practicable, or where avoidance is not practicable, minimises and otherwise mitigates, adverse impacts on ecologically important areas, including creeks, gullies, waterways, wetlands, coastal areas, habitats and vegetation through location, design, operation and management;

(iii) development is designed and sited to sensitively respond to the physical characteristics and constraints of land, including flooding, steep land, landslide hazard and bushfire hazard, where applicable;

(iv) the scale, density and layout of development facilitates an efficient land use pattern that:-

(A) is well connected to other parts of the urban fabric and planned future development;

(B) supports walkable neighbourhoods that are well connected to employment nodes, activity centres, open space and recreational areas, community facilities, health and education opportunities;

(C) encourages active and public transport accessibility and use; and

Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 Amended 3 July 2017 Page 6-44

(D) maximises the efficient extension and safe operation of infrastructure;

(v) an appropriate mix of land uses and housing types is provided;

(vi) a sense of character and community inclusion is promoted;

(vii) a high level of residential amenity, personal health and safety, and protection for property is provided;

(viii) development provides for pedestrian, cycle and vehicular movement networks that maximise connectivity, permeability and ease of movement within and to neighbourhoods and other areas;

(ix) development is located, designed and operated to be responsive to the Sunshine Coast’s sub-tropical climate and minimises the use of water and energy;

(x) development does not interfere with the existing or ongoing use of adjoining rural land for productive agricultural purposes;

(xi) development occurs in a logical sequence and facilitates the efficient and timely provision of infrastructure and services prior to, or in conjunction with, the first stages of development;

(xii) development is provided with the full range of urban services to support the needs of the community, including parks, roads and transport corridors, pedestrian and cycle paths, reticulated water, sewerage, stormwater drainage and electricity and telecommunication infrastructure; and

(xiii) development does not adversely impact on the continued operation, viability and maintenance of existing infrastructure or compromise the future provision of planned infrastructure.