Changes to Bundaberg Regional Council's Planning Scheme will take effect in February after two new amendments were approved at this week's ordinary meeting.
The first amendment package makes ongoing improvements to various parts of the planning scheme, while the second amendment provides a longer-term policy response to protect sea turtles and the Mon Repos Conservation Park.
According to planning and development portfolio spokesperson Cr Ross Sommerfeld, Amendment No 5 was adopted to improve the efficiency and operation of the planning scheme.
“This includes minor changes to codes and levels of assessment to reflect community expectations, including requirements for secondary dwellings and dual occupancy development,” he said.
“The amendment also incorporates local planning undertaken by Council for the Burnett Heads town centre, and areas identified for future urban growth at Kalkie and between Hughes and Seaview Roads at Bargara.”
The amendment also identifies additional places of local heritage significance, and changes to address State interests, such as recognising the Bundaberg State Development Area which was declared by the State Government back in February 2017.
Cr Sommerfeld said the second amendment, Amendment No 6, focused on the protection of turtles and turtles nesting beaches, including Mon Repos.
“This amendment seeks to provide a greater level of protection for the Mon Repos Conservation Park and sea turtles from the effects of urban development,” he said.
“This amendment includes a sea turtle sensitive area overlay code to ensure assessable development in coastal areas avoids adverse impacts on sea turtles, including impacts from artificial lighting.”
Cr Sommerfeld said the changes to the planning scheme had received approval from the Planning Minister on 20 December 2019.
The proposed amendments (with changes following public consultation) were sent to the Planning Minister on 26 November 2019 for approval to adopt, in accordance with the requirements of the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules.
The amendments will take effect as version 5.0 of the Planning Scheme on 10 February 2020.
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