Draft South East Queensland Regional Plan Review Feedback

Draft South East Queensland Regional Plan Review Feedback

Department of Infrastructure, Local Government & Planning

PO Box 15009

City East QLD 4000

Dear Sir/ Madam

This submission pertains specifically to the Gold Coast, but can be applied to the whole of SEQ:

Grow

There is little evidence to support the need for a 67% population growth rate for the Gold Coast, but there is considerable evidence that it will place an intolerable strain on both natural and man-made resources.

1. The quality of life is progressively degraded from population pressures and the failure of infrastructure provision. Traffic congestion leads to serious economic losses for businesses and loss of social and health amenity for residents. There are inadequate recreational open spaces, a severely stressed sewage system, lack of public transport east-west and north, over-crowded schools, hospitals unable to meet national standards and ongoing loss of habitat for key species such as the koala.

2. The Gold Coast is constrained by steep landscapes, multiple waterways, flood plains, sea level rise flooding, and the need to preserve our exceptional biodiversity.

REQUEST: Undertake studies to identify the current status of the impact of the built environment on the natural environment and existing infrastructure todetermine an ecologically sustainable carrying capacity and keep growth within that carrying capacity before irreparable damage has been reached.Remove rural residential areas from the urban footprint and keep them as a buffer between the urban and rural areas.

Prosper

3. Jobs on the Gold Coast are subject to building bust and boom, low paid/part time work, and frequent losses for subcontractors as development companies go bust. The more housing, the more jobs needed. Youth unemployment is high and all too frequently young people must move away to get work.

REQUEST: That a youth employment strategy is included in the Plan and that more planning for jobs not dependent on construction precedes population growth.

Connect

4. Roads are clogged and train & bus services are inadequate. The M1 is at peak loads now and no funding is in sight to fix this. The Plan fails to include fast internet services for business development.

REQUEST:No further population growth until the Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031 is implemented and adequate communication infrastructure is provided.

Sustain

5. Tree clearing from development is threatening koalas & other wildlife with extinction.

REQUEST: That wildlife habitat, especially for koalas, as has been identified in the GC Nature Conservation Strategy and various Koala Plans is identified and protected both within and outside the urban footprint.

6. Most GC rural areas have already been subdivided to very small blocks of 4, 8 and 20 hectares.

REQUEST: That the regulations in the Plan actually protect our rural areas and not allow exceptions for major developments as if all blocks were 100 hectares large as envisioned in the Plan.

Live

7. Gold Coast City does not have the park lands, community and sporting facilities needed right now. REQUEST: No further population growth should be considered until all the facilities required now have been provided.

I also think______

______

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Yours faithfully,

(signature) ______(date) ____/____/___

Mr/ Mrs/ Ms ______(name)

(address) ______(Post Code) ______