Clarification of Exemptions for Vegetation Clearing for Bushfire Management Activities
The previous arrangement surrounding clearing vegetation for bushfire management activities was confusing. The Planning (Spit Master Plan and Other Matters) Amendment Regulation 2019 (Qld) which commenced on 6 December 2019, is an attempt to clear up some of this confusion as to the exemptions for vegetation clearing for bushfire management activities. The amendment A new […]
ReadmoreBan on High-Rise Development at The Spit
The Spit Master Plan in 2019 was adopted by the Queensland Government in 2019 after an extensive 18 month planning and consultation period, which attracted more than 23,000 pieces of feedback.[1] The Spit Master Plan is a non-statutory document until introduced into the Gold Coast City Plan 2016, a process likely to take some time. […]
ReadmoreNew development controls to protect koalas in South East Queensland
The koala is an Australian icon and was once commonly found in South East Queensland. However, as Brisbane and its surrounding communities have grown and expanded, koala populations have dramatically declined as a result of habitat loss and associated impacts from urbanisation. According to government figures, over the last twenty years, koala populations have decreased […]
ReadmoreSuccessful compliance and enforcement actions
Compliance and enforcement is a cornerstone of the implementation of the laws and policies administered by government departments and authorities. Effective compliance and enforcement is important to promote voluntary compliance and deter and penalise non-compliance. Compliance and enforcement activities are particularly important where non-compliance can have serious impacts on third parties and the public interest, […]
ReadmoreDeveloping Resilient Future Cities
The 2019 Asia Pacific Cities Summit (APCS) and Mayors’ Forum provided a platform for connection and conversations on cities’ innovation, mobility, liveability and sustainability. A powerful contingent of some 1480+ delegates, spanning 140 cities, close to 90 Mayors and Deputy Mayors, and entrepreneurs came together to solve complex problems to develop resilient future cities. What does this […]
ReadmoreBusinesses pay high price for environmental non-compliance
In Queensland, businesses that fail to comply with environmental obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) risk enforcement and prosecution action by the Department of Environment and Science (Department), including the imposition of significant fines and recording of convictions, as illustrated by the following cases. Waste Transfer Business A company operating a waste transfer […]
ReadmoreLandowner wins appeal against Council enforcement notice
The Planning and Environment Court in Benfer v Sunshine Coast Regional Council[2019] QPEC 6 has held that an enforcement notice given to a landowner in relation to an alleged development offence should be set aside due to deficiencies in the content of the notice, including a lack of detail as to the nature and timing of […]
ReadmoreDevelopment refused due to inconsistency with Centres Strategy
The Planning and Environment Court in Hotel Property Investments Ltd v Council of the City of Gold Coast [2019] QPEC 5, refused a change application (other) lodged in accordance with sections 78 and 82 of the Planning Act 2016 (Planning Act) for an existing approval from showrooms and a café to offices on a site located in […]
ReadmoreThe duty of care of a public authority
A recent Queensland decision[1] raises the important issue as to when a pubic authority, in the exercise of its statutory powers, will owe a common law duty of care to the public. In 2012, a three-year old child was hit and fatally injured in the carpark area of a Hungry Jack’s restaurant complex. The driver […]
ReadmoreEnforcement authorities can take pre-emptive action to avoid non-compliance
Planning and environmental laws establish a wide range of offences and powers to deter and penalise non-compliance, and enforcement action is often directed at remedying or prosecuting breaches. Enforcement authorities however also often have a range of powers to take pre-emptive action to avoid non-compliance and stop breaches before they occur. A recent example of […]
ReadmoreCourt approves dwellings despite non-compliance
The Planning and Environment Court in The Planning Place Pty Ltd v Brisbane City Council [2018] QPEC 62, recently approved a proposed redevelopment of a corner block located in Windsor for two dwelling houses proposed to be three storeys in height above a basement carpark, each to be located on its own allotment. In this case, the […]
ReadmoreCouncil wins costs against company and director
In Gold Coast City Council v Adrian’s Metal Management Pty Ltd & Ors (No.2), the Planning and Environment Court has awarded costs on the standard basis against the company and its director in enforcement proceedings taken by the Council to stop the unlawful operation of a scrap metal yard.Enforcement Proceedings The company operated a scrap metal […]
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