Premier flags Go Zones and No-Go Zones for better growth Management

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
16/03/2010
PREMIER FLAGS GO ZONES AND NO-GO ZONES FOR BETTER GROWTH MANAGEMENT

Premier Anna Bligh has launched a new proposal to create "Go-Zones" and "No-Go Zones" to guide urban development in South East Queensland.

During her speech at Tourism & Transport Forum in Brisbanetoday the Premier outlined a new proposal to help with growth management in SEQ.

"The Queensland Growth Management Summit on March 30 and 31 will look at new ways to manage growth in Queensland," said the Premier.

"This proposal is just one of the ideas that I hope can foster debate and get people thinking about new ways to manage the growth we are seeing in our State."

Under the plan state and local government would create new "go zones" - areas along public transport corridors for higher density development.

Under the same proposal "no-go zones" - established suburbs would be protected from high density development.

"Go Zones could reduce the planning timeline for new developments from years to months," said Ms Bligh.

"No-go Zones would give communities in established suburbs certainty that their neighbourhood won't be transformed by higher density living."

The Premier said the State Government's aim was to maximize new development along major public transport corridors.

"If we locate appropriate density in these locations, we can encourage more people to swap a car trip for a bus or train trip," she said.

"Density around major public transport corridors means we can take the pressure off the suburban character of our cities."

The Premier said she had written to all South East Queensland Mayors seeking their views on the proposal, which will be considered at the next SEQ Regional Planning Committee meeting.

During the speech atTourism & Transport Forum Ms Bligh also revealed some initial findings from research commissioned for the Queensland Growth Management Summit.

"The research shows that people overwhelmingly prefer to protect greenspace and build infill - even it means higher density - rather than lose our greenspace for low density developments.

"When given that choice, 76% prefer to protect the greenspace and only 11% prefer to sacrifice greenspace for low density."

The research also demonstrates very strong support for medium density development around major suburban centres with train stations or bus interchanges - places like Indooroopilly, Garden City, Chermside, Maroochydore and Robina.

When asked how suitable medium density development was for these areas, survey respondents gave it an average score of 70.1 on a scale of 0 to 100 (where 100 was "very well suited").

High density development scored 58.9 - while low density development was considered the least suitable form of development for these areas, rating only 45.9.

Permanent Link: Premier flags Go Zones and No-Go Zones for better growth Management
Publish Date: 16 Mar 10