Douglas Shire Council’s recently adopted planning scheme, designed to manage future development on the ecologically unique Daintree Lowlands, has received the highest honours at the Australian Planning Institute’s annual Queensland Awards for Excellence.
The Queensland Division of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) announced the recipients of its state Awards for Excellence in Planning in November. The awards recognise outstanding contributions and cutting edge achievements in the planning field. Entrants include Local and State Governments, professional consultancies, community groups, academics, university students, and schoolchildren.
Located in Far North Queensland, Douglas Shire took out the Environmental Planning or Conservation section as well as the Overall Award for Excellence for its Douglas Shire Planning Trilogy. Adopted by Council in August, it incorporates Douglas’ bold, final planning scheme to protect the Daintree Lowlands.
The Daintree Lowlands is a rainforest area where new species of plants are still being discovered. The planning scheme includes a development ban on 335 blocks.
Council’s Manager Planning Services, Paul Gleeson, said the Shire’s ultimate objective is to set an international benchmark for sustainable rainforest communities.
“For those who continue to live in the area, the new planning scheme provides the opportunity to be part of the largest self sustaining community in Australia,” he said. “They will be immersed in a highly sensitive ecosystem in one of the world’s oldest rainforests. At the same time, the scheme diminishes Council’s exposure to large future infrastructure costs for services to the area and reinforces the value of the well recognised Daintree ‘brand’, boosting its international tourism appeal.”
Of the 512 blocks in the rainforest conservation precinct, 177 have existing use rights. Of the 335 remaining blocks, 158 have been bought by the State Government and other conservation agencies.
“An original Daintree buyback in the mid 1990s, along with purchases to date, have placed Council well over half way in terms of achieving our conservation objectives,” Paul Gleeson said. “There are around 180 remaining land owners directly impacted and Council has written to each one and explained what their options are – something that was not a requirement under the legislation. They can retain their land and be compensated for loss of development rights, or sell their land to the State Government for incorporation in the National Park.”
More than 70 entries in 14 categories were submitted to the PIA Queensland Awards. Douglas Shire Mayor, Councillor Mike Berwick, was also awarded an honorary fellowship to the PIA for his contribution to planning since 1991. This honour has only been bestowed on ten people in total.
All Queensland winners will now go on to compete in the PIA National Awards for Planning Excellence to be held in Perth in May 2007.
