Priority Infrastructure Plan

Mackay is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions and predicted to be the fastest growth region in Queensland.  Infrastructure planning will enable Mackay Regional Council to manage the demands of population growth while continuing to preserve the natural environment.  Effective planning is vital in high growth areas such as Mackay Region and can significantly reduce infrastructure costs to the community as a whole.  Infrastructure Planning is recognised as an important part of land use planning, and has a major influence on creating sustainable communities.

Provision is made under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) that developers pay contributions towards the establishment  cost of  trunk infrastructure network to meet the demand placed on the network by the development.  This also ensures that there is a fair and equitable distribution of costs between developers and rate payers.

Purpose of the Priority Infrastructure Plan

The purpose of the priority infrastructure plan is to:

• integrate and coordinate land use planning and infrastructure planning;
• ensure that trunk infrastructure is planned and provided in an efficient and orderly manner; and
• establish an infrastructure funding framework that is equitable and accountable.

The purpose of the Priority Infrastructure Plan (PIP) is to define the scale, type, timing and location of growth in the Mackay region in order to plan future trunk infrastructure and to determine the charges required to fund it in a timely fashion. 

Council is currently developing Priority Infrastructure Plans (PIP) for the three planning scheme areas which will supersede current planning scheme contribution policies to ensure that infrastructure services are delivered in an efficient and sustainable way.

For more information regarding what a Priority Infrastructure Plan is please refer to the Prioroty Infrastructure Planning brochure (PDF 163 Kb)

Milestones

The following are future milestones in the development of the PIP:

• Present the PIP to the Department of Infrastructure and Planning for review and undertake Public Consultation of the Mackay City Planning Scheme PIP- April 2011
• Adopt the PIP- June 2011

 For enquiries about Priority Infrastructure Planning contact Customer Service on 1300 622 529 or send an email to strategic.planning@mackay.qld.gov.au.