Next Generation Planning

The Council of Mayors (SEQ) in partnership with the Queensland Government recently developed a new handbook entitled "Next Generation Planning". The guidebook aims to encourage affordability and diversity in neighbourhood design and housing choice in South East Queensland. Utilising the four concepts of:

• affordable living;
• smart growth; 
• form based codes  ; and 
• SEQ Place Model;

the tool is envisaged to provide  strategic and statutory planning tools for Councils in the region to in an attempt to streamline the development application process and processing times.

The project has an easily digested video available for the community to grasp the key concepts of the guidelines:, and to communicate the idea that affordable living means more than the price of a house- in an attempt to reset the idea of the suburban Australian dream.

The handbook is a great tool for our Local Governments to access and I think it is a positive step towards decreasing urban sprawl by educating consumers in housing choice.