Council needs to plan for there being enough homes, community facilities, infrastructure and services for new residents and businesses. Council sets the framework for growth and development over the long-term. One of the most important tools Council has to do this is the planning scheme.

The planning scheme guides what development can occur, how land can be used in different parts of the region, the approvals required, the outcomes to be met and what will be assessed by Council.

Council is legally required to incorporate a range of state and regional policies, but must also provide a local response to the needs and changes in our communities. We continually review and improve the planning scheme to respond to these issues. Find out more about our current planning scheme.

Planning schemes across Queensland use a performance-based approach to assess development. This means that development applications assess the outcomes that the development will achieve, rather than its ability to meet strict rules and requirements.

This allows for flexibility by allowing alternative, innovative solutions to meet performance outcomes in the planning scheme.

This approach also means that Councils cannot prohibit any development or a development application from being made. Council is legally obliged to consider each development application received on its individual merits. Find out more here.

Council decides how our city and its many communities will grow and change over time, addressing issues such as:

• where homes will be built and what they will look like
• what infrastructure (including roads, transport, utilities and digital connectivity) will be needed and where
• how we can grow our economy to create jobs and opportunity for residents
• where jobs can be created and what types of businesses will be allowed in which locations
• what types of community services, recreation and entertainment options will be needed and where they should be
• how we can do all of this, while protecting our natural environment, green spaces and the local identity that makes our city special.

Our planning scheme is one of the tools used by Council to manage growth, change and development across our city. Find out more about city planning.

Infrastructure is planned and delivered by different organisations. For example:

• Council
• Queensland Government’s Department of Education delivers education services
• Unitywater plans for and manages water and sewer networks
• Energex provides South East Queensland’s electricity distribution network
• Department of Transport and Main Roads in collaboration with Queensland Rail is responsible for State roads and railway level crossings.

Land use planning by state and local governments, such as in the planning scheme, plays a vital role in guiding future growth. By clearly identifying where development can and will occur, this planning supports the relevant Council, State Government departments and other infrastructure providers in preparing for future needs. It enables long-term infrastructure planning and helps monitor the pace of growth. As the population increases, infrastructure providers can respond with upgrades to improve network capacity and efficiency.

As the statutory plan-making process progresses, these agencies will continue to be involved, providing them ongoing opportunity to refine planning for their infrastructure networks.

City of Moreton Bay’s Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) (moretonbay.link/lgip) identifies Council’s plans for trunk (higher order) infrastructure to serve future growth in an effective and financially sustainable manner. Council’s LGIP is reviewed and amended at regular intervals and community consultation is an important part of this process.

Our new City of Tomorrow advocacy strategy includes a 10-year advocacy action plan. The strategy outlines six focus areas, the strategic priorities and partnerships the Council will pursue as our population grows to one million people in the next 30 years. This includes priority infrastructure projects to support growth.

Planning schemes are reviewed every ten years by local councils to ensure future growth and development aligns with the evolving views of the community, changes in technologies and updates to planning policy requirements. 

Right now, City of Moreton Bay has resolved to replace our current planning scheme (Moreton Bay Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016). We are now in the early stages of this process and want you to help us shape our vision for the future.

The preparation of a new planning scheme is a legislated process, and needs to be developed in-line with the processes contained in the Queensland Government Planning Act 2016 and the associated Minister's Guidelines and Rules. This process can take a number of years to complete.

City of Moreton Bay has taken its first steps towards the creation of a new planning scheme, by resolving to replace the Moreton Bay Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016. 

Steps for creating a new planning scheme include:

1. Council resolved to replace the current Planning Scheme
2. Early consultation as part of planning scheme review (We are here)
3. Council decision to make a new planning scheme
4. Council prepares a new planning scheme
5. The QLD Government checks the draft planning scheme addresses state interests and may require Council to change the draft planning scheme
6. Statutory consultation period on the draft planning scheme (additional opportunity for community feedback)
7. Council review all submissions from the statutory consultation and may make changes to the draft planning scheme
8. Ministerial review of the final draft planning scheme
9. Formal Council adoption and then commencement of the new planning scheme

Ongoing amendments following the processes set out in the Planning Act 2016 and associated Minister’s Guidelines and Rules.

Early engagement as part of the planning scheme review will be open from 1 June to 12 July 2026.

This phase focuses on six key topics:

• housing supply, choice and affordable living
• infrastructure
• local identity
• environment and biodiversity
• natural hazards
• economy growth and employment.

Community feedback collected during early engagement helps inform Council’s thinking and can influence preparation of the new planning scheme. What we hear will be considered alongside state and regional planning policy, technical investigations and statutory requirements. Council will report back on key themes and how community input has influenced the process.

Some feedback may require further research or consideration. Any feedback like this is likely to inform future amendments to the new planning scheme.

Feedback from Moreton Says and other recent planning consultations is being used to inform the review of the planning scheme. This early engagement phase builds on what we have already heard, rather than starting from scratch, and helps test whether earlier themes and priorities are still relevant. Read more Moreton Says here.

Early engagement happens before a draft planning scheme is prepared. Its purpose is to gather ideas, priorities and local knowledge. Statutory consultation occurs later in the process, once the draft planning scheme has been prepared. It provides a formal opportunity to make a submission on the draft planning scheme under the Planning Act 2016.

As part of early consultation, Council is undertaking targeted engagement to ensure a range of voices are heard. This includes working with industry and business representatives to understand their perspectives on the new planning scheme.

We are also running pop-ups at some local high schools to capture the views of young people and ensure their voices are reflected in this consultation.

Following the broader community consultation, which closes on 12 July, two community panels will be established, one for the northern part of the city and one for the southern part. Participants will be randomly selected by an independent recruitment agency to reflect the diversity of our community.

If you would like to be included in the selection pool, you can register your interest in the Moreton Says in Focus. Members may be invited to take part in community panels and consultation activities.  Find out more.

No. This phase is about understanding community views and priorities. Any changes to the rules in the planning scheme will occur later, following further technical work, Council decision‑making and statutory consultation.

After early engagement, Council will analyse feedback and share a summary of what we heard. Community feedback is one of a number of inputs Council must consider, alongside technical investigations, legislative requirements and state and regional planning policy. Together, these inputs will inform Council’s decision-making on the new planning scheme and future engagement opportunities.

No. This engagement is not about individual development applications or specific sites. It focuses on city-wide planning directions that will shape the planning scheme.