Options to create more affordable housing, along with a range of policy decisions to manage unprecedented local growth, are key platforms of the new draft Logan Plan 2025, endorsed today.
Terrace housing is proposed for the first time locally as Council tackles the dual challenge of housing affordability while delivering and advocating for critical infrastructure for emerging neighbourhoods.
Terrace housing offers greater density and the convenience of community living without overheads such as body corporate fees which apply to most townhouses and unit blocks.
Logan Plan 2025 (LP25), once finalised, will build on what is working well from the current planning scheme (Logan Planning Scheme 2015) as it guides city growth over the next 20 years.
The proposed new policy decisions aim to enhance the liveability, amenity and function of the city, which is one of the fastest growing areas in South East Queensland.
Proposed changes include:
- Promoting high-quality urban design with stronger guidance for subdivisions, apartments, landscaping, urban greening and streetscaping
- Providing appropriate employment land where new businesses or industries can be established, and existing ones can grow
- Prioritising more housing choices near public transport and major commercial centres
- Protecting the city's heritage by clarifying criteria relating to the preservation and use of places of historical and cultural significance
- Introducing a new tourism code to provide confidence for investors, operators and residents to enable appropriate and economy-boosting experiences in the city
Council also aims to flick the switch on a bustling night-time economy to give residents more local entertainment options after 6pm while putting the brakes on the impacts of service stations on surrounding areas and nearby shopping centres.
City of Logan Mayor Darren Power said LP25 was essential to manage a future where the local population is projected to surge past 500,000 in the next decade and reach more than 600,000 by 2046.
"New residents are coming in droves to live in our great city, and we need to have a robust, well-balanced Planning Scheme to best manage the serious growth we have ahead of us," Cr Power said.
"We want to ensure we have quality, well-designed development in the right areas, and in a way which reflects the values of our community."
Planning Chair, Cr Jon Raven, said the draft LP25 introduced improvements on the previous planning scheme that would better serve the community and local lifestyles.
The new policy positions were shaped by input from the community, Councillors, specialist consultants, the development industry and university researchers.
"We already live in a fantastic city, but we want to make it even better," Cr Raven said.
"We need to plan for the future so that our residents can benefit from the growth we're experiencing over the next decade."
The draft LP25 will now be submitted to the Queensland Government for a mandatory state interest review.
Once that review is completed, Council will share the draft LP25 with the community for consultation. Council will use that feedback to further improve the plan.
A final Queensland Government review follows, before the plan is expected to be adopted in late 2025.
