Planning Act

The Planning Act 2016, which replaced the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, aims to establish an efficient, effective, transparent, integrated, coordinated, and accountable system of land use planning, development assessment and related matters that facilitates the achievement of ecological sustainability.

The Planning Act defines ecological sustainability as a balance between:

• The protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, state and national levels
• Economic development
• The cultural, economic, physical and social wellbeing of Queenslanders.

The Planning Act is more succinct and easier to understand than the previous legislation. It retains the same general rights, roles and responsibilities but has moved the processes into other statutory documents.

The Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning oversees the Planning Act, while Queensland's Planning System website offers some useful resources for understanding the legislation.