2014-03-25 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda Pages 81-167

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  25 MARCH 2014


5     DECLARED BIODIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT OFFSET AREA
5.1   Background/Gazettal details
The site has been declared a Biodiversity Development Offset Area (BDOA) under State
Planning Policy 2/10: Koala Conservation in South East Queensland (SPP 2/10). The
declaration was made by the then Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State,
Paul Lucas, on 3 February 2012.

State Planning Policy 2/10 provides that the Planning Minister may declare an area to be a
Biodiversity Development Offset Area for the purposes of achieving a net benefit for koala
conservation. The stated aim of this policy is: to ensure that koala habitat conservation is taken
into account in planning processes within the South East Queensland Koala Protection Area,
contributing to a net increase in koala habitat in south-east Queensland, and assist in the long
term retention of viable koala habitat populations in south-east Queensland.

The BDOA mechanism operates within a policy framework comprising the South East
Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031, State Planning Regulatory Provisions and State Planning
Policy 2/10 Koala Conservation in South East Queensland. Associated Statutory Guideline
01/10 Biodiversity Development Offset Area-Koala Conservation provides further specific
guidance in terms of purpose and process for declaring a BDOA.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009 – 2031 State Planning Regulatory Provisions
(section 1.5(1)(b)) provides for an area in the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area or
Rural Living Area to be designated as a Biodiversity Development Offset Area. The effect of the
Biodiversity Development Offset Area designation is that sections 2.1 and 3.1 of the South East
Queensland State Planning Regulatory Provisions do not apply to the development. As a
consequence, South East Queensland Regional Plan provisions that would prohibit the
application for urban development outside the urban footprint are suspended.

According to the Statutory Guideline, the declaration of a BDOA provides an opportunity to
potentially transfer development from one parcel of land (the send site) to another parcel of land
(the receive site) in the interest of biodiversity conservation. A development application is then
lodged over the ‘receive’ site and if approved, a net benefit to koala conservation values occurs
through ongoing protection within the ‘send’ site of significant biodiversity values and habitat
connectivity in the South East Queensland region.

Local Government and State agency roles and responsibilities under the Sustainable Planning
Act are unaffected by the declaration and the development application must be assessed on
merit against relevant State and local planning instruments. Specifically, the BDOA does not
imply or direct development approval by the assessment manager.

In order to assist the Minister in making his decision, the Department referred the applicant’s
BDOA proposal to the Sunshine Coast Council on 3 November 2010. A report on the matter was
considered at the Council’s Ordinary Meeting of 11 November 2010 and focused on the following
key issues:

     Habitat values present on the “send” site.
     Existing development entitlements of the send site.
     The send site’s connectivity and integration into local open space and biodiversity
      networks.
     Likelihood of long term protection of the send site under the proposal.
     Development potential and suitability of the “receive” site.




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