On 31 May 2011 the Queensland Government announced two important
changes to its strategic cropping land
("SCL") framework. While no State
Planning Policy or draft legislation has yet been released, the
announcement is nevertheless significant as it has the potential to
impact upon development proposed for large parts of the State, from
Mossman in the North to St George in the South. The framework,
including the SCL maps, should be considered as part of any
decision on the siting of development projects in Queensland.
Background
In August 2010, the Government released "Protecting
Queensland's strategic cropping land: a policy framework",
which outlined its approach to protecting the State's best
cropping land resources (ie. strategic cropping land). The
Government's policy is essentially that planning and approval
powers should be used to protect SCL from development that leads to
its permanent alienation or diminished productivity.
