A planning scheme is a statutory planning instrument prepared pursuant to the Planning Act 2016 and The Ministers Guidelines and Rules.

The planning scheme presents a framework that regulates and manages land use and development in Somerset Region. The principle underpinning the planning scheme is to ensure that social, ecological and economic environments are sustainable into the future. The planning scheme provides a strategic and integrated basis for responding to the challenges of population growth and land use management into the future.

The Somerset Region Planning Scheme originally came into force on 1 March 2016. For further enquiries, please contact Council's planning section on (07) 5424 4000.

The Somerset Region Planning Scheme came into force on 1 March 2016. The scheme has been amended four times since its initial adoption. The most recent amendment to the Somerset Region Planning Scheme involved an Administrative Amendment and came into effect on 17 December 2021.

On 11 September 2020, the Queensland Government amended the Planning Regulation 2017 to support the state-wide economic recovery by streamlining some statutory planning processes for local government, business and the development industry, whilst still maintaining the integrity of the planning framework.

As outlined below, the economic support initiatives aim to give local governments options to:

• facilitate the removal of unnecessary barriers for low risk uses;
• provide incentives and certainty to ensure economic value-adding uses can recommence or be established across the state where appropriate; and
• encourage investment as soon as possible and in-line with community expectations.

On 9 September 2022, the Queensland Government has further amended the Planning Regulation 2017 through the the Planning (Economic Support Instruments) Amendment Regulation 2022 to automatically extend the expiry dates of economic support instruments.

The economic support instrument was in place until 31 December 2023.

Economic Support Initiative Instrument

Council resolved as its Ordinary Council Meeting of 22 August 2018 to prepare a Major Amendment to the Somerset Region Planning Scheme.

Council at its Ordinary Meeting of 20 January 2021 resolved, that in accordance with section 68D of the Planning Regulation 2017, and to support the State’s economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 emergency, Council adopt the above Somerset Regional Council Economic support instrument, which will remain in effect until 17 September 2021 unless earlier revoked.

On 22 May 2019 Somerset Regional Council received notification from the Minister of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning that the proposed Major Amendment to the Somerset Region Planning Scheme can commence public consultation.

The Major Amendment to the planning scheme was open for public consultation from 17 July 2019 until 3 September 2020. During the consultation period three submissions were received. A Consultation Report has been prepared which discusses how the submissions were considered and if applicable how the planning scheme was amended. The Consultation Report can be found at the following link:

Planning Scheme - Version 4 - Consultation Report - March 2020.pdf

On 10 August 2020, the Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, approved Council’s request to adopt the proposed Major Amendment (Version Four) to the Somerset Region Planning Scheme.

On 14 October 2020, Council resolved, at its Ordinary Meeting, to adopt the Major Amendment and Administrative Amendment to the Somerset Region Planning Scheme. The Somerset Region Planning Scheme (Version Four) came into effect on 2 November 2020.

On 4 November 2020, Council resolved to make and adopt a further Administrative Amendment to the planning scheme to resolve minor errors in the printing, formatting, cross-referencing, and electronic navigation of the planning scheme document and mapping. The Somerset Region Planning Scheme (Version 4.2) commenced on 17 December 2021.