By David Nicholls, Partner
Introduction
Urban planning has been described as "a technical and
political process concerned with the control of the use of land and
design of the urban environment, including transportation networks,
to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and
communities. It concerns itself with research and analysis,
strategic thinking, urban design, public consultation, policy
recommendations, implementation and management."
1 The purpose of urban planning is to provide a
well functioning urban environment which meets the communities'
needs. Does Queensland's regulatory system satisfy that
purpose?
Until the enactment of the Integrated Planning Act 1997
(IPA), planning legislation in Queensland did not attempt to
identify the purpose of land use regulation. While the IPA used the
term "planning" extensively, and the Sustainable
Planning Act 2009 (SPA) continues to do so, it did not attempt
to define the concept. It is
