You will need this approval to undertake planning and development activities in a state development area (SDA). SDAs are clearly defined areas of land established by the Coordinator-General. You will need to comply with your SDA's development scheme when undertaking any activity.
SDAs typically take the form of one of the following:
- industrial hubs for development requiring larger footprints which are strategically located close to ports or major rail and road networks (e.g. LNG and mining industry in Gladstone, and freight and logistics in Bromelton, Cairns South and Townsville).
- infrastructure corridors for the co-location of infrastructure (e.g. rail lines, water and gas pipelines, and electricity transmission lines).
- major development sites, including tourism industry in Cairns and public works (e.g. the Queensland Children's Hospital).
A development scheme ensures development in an SDA is well planned and managed. Broadly, a development scheme:
- identifies land uses compatible with the objectives of the SDA
- sets out the processes and procedures for the assessment of applications and requests related to development in the SDA
- assists in avoiding or minimising impacts to environmental, cultural heritage and community values
- ensures orderly development.
Current state development areas include the following:
- Abbot Point
- Bundaberg
- Bromelton
- Cairns South
- Callide Infrastructure Corridor
- Galilee Basin
- Gladstone
- Mackay
- Stanwell-Gladstone Infrastructure Corridor
- Surat Basin Infrastructure Corridor
- Townsville
- Tropical North.
