THE SOUTH EAST REGIONAL PLAN: A LANDMARK IN THE DEMISE
OF THE 'DEVELOPMENTAL' STATE? (OR NIMBY COMEES TO BRISBANE)

PHILIPPA ENGLAND

ABSTRACT:

In 2005 the Queensland government departed from the planning practice of all its predecessors by introducing a mandatory regional plan for South East Queensland. The South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQ Regional Plan) prohibits subdivision of land outside the boundaries of the Urban Footprint if subdivision would reduce the lot size to less than 100 hectares. It also prohibits most forms of urban development outside the Urban Footprint unless an overriding need in the public interest is demonstrated. These prohibitions over-ride any other planning document in South East Queensland and suggest a new degree of commitment to containing the urban sprawl of Brisbane and other cities lying in the South East Queensland coastal strip. This article examines the history of regional and urban planning in Queensland and asks the question 'To what extent is the SEQ Regional Plan really a departure from earlier planning practice in Queensland?'