Planning Schemes

Overview

What is a Planning Scheme?

A planning scheme is a legal document created to outline how land can be used and developed in the region. It guides decisions about growth, change, and future development, helping the community, developers, and other government bodies understand what types of development are expected and allowed.

Western Downs Planning Scheme

One of Council’s strategic visions is to create and maintain a vibrant and sustainable region. The Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 shapes future land use development decisions, with an innovative approach to managing and supporting long-term population and economic growth in the region.

The Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 is designed to facilitate:

different housing types to improve affordability
the provision of land for urban expansion in major regional centres (housing, shops and industry)
promoting economic development opportunities, utilising existing infrastructure capacity
sustaining agricultural production, manufacturing and industrial activity
protecting natural environments and unique landscapes
creating attractive urban neighbourhoods for the vibrant community to live, work, play and interact.

Current Planning Scheme

Council is committed to ensuring the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 adheres to legislative changes while remaining contemporary and responsive to changing community needs and expectations.

Major Amendment No. 2

Under section 20 of the Planning Act 2016, Council resolved to adopt Major Amendment No. 2 to the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 and commence effectively on 28 July 2025.

Purpose

To ensure future land use and development is adequately designed, located, and facilitated to support the growth and prosperity of the Western Downs Region and its community.

Changes

Minor mapping and administrative changes in alignment with legislative requirements.
Change inclusions relating to battery storage facilities, non-residential uses within the low-density residential zone, secondary dwellings, and craft breweries.

Deputy Premier's Consent to proceed with Adoption of Amendment 2

On 12 June 2025, the Deputy Premier provided a notice to Council advising that Council could proceed with the adoption of Amendment 2 of the Planning Scheme provided that the conditions within the notice were met prior to Council's adoption.

A copy of this notice including the Deputy Premier's conditions which were reflected by Council prior to the adoption of Amendment 2 of the Planning Scheme:

Notice and Conditions of Adoption(PDF, 336KB)

Council will continue to Amend to the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 in the future to respond to the emerging challenges and opportunities for development in our region.

The Current Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 incorporating Amendment 2 can be accessed below:

Appendices and Citations

Appendix 1 - Index and Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms(PDF, 144KB)

Appendix 2 - Table of Amendments(PDF, 394KB)

Citation and Commencement(PDF, 394KB)

Part 1 to 5 - includes Strategic Plan and Table of Assessment

Part 1 - About the Planning Scheme(PDF, 2MB)

Part 2 - State Planning Provisions(PDF, 117KB)

Part 3 - Strategic Plan(PDF, 443KB)

Part 4 - Local Government Infrastructure Plan(PDF, 332KB)

Parts 5.1. - 5.4. of Table of Assessment(PDF, 119KB)

Table 5.5.1. - MCU Major Centre Zone(PDF, 192KB)

Table 5.5.2. - MCU District Centre Zone(PDF, 183KB)

Table 5.5.3. - MCU Local Centre Zone(PDF, 154KB)

Table 5.5.4. - MCU Township Zone(PDF, 149KB)

Table 5.5.5. - MCU Low Impact Industry Zone(PDF, 141KB)

Table 5.5.6. - MCU Medium Impact Industry Zone(PDF, 138KB)

Table 5.5.7. - MCU High Impact Industry Zone(PDF, 129KB)

Table 5.5.8. - MCU Low Density Residential Zone(PDF, 126KB)

Table 5.5.9. - MCU Medium Density Residential Zone(PDF, 128KB)

Table 5.5.10 - MCU Rural Zone(PDF, 140KB)

Table 5.5.11. - MCU Rural Residential Zone(PDF, 124KB)

Table 5.5.12. - MCU Community Facilites Zone(PDF, 149KB)

Table 5.5.13. - MCU Recreation and Open Space Zone(PDF, 135KB)

Table 5.6.1 - Reconfiguring a Lot(PDF, 118KB)

Parts 5.7 - 5.9 - Building Operational Works and Local Plan(PDF, 117KB)

Part 5.10. - Overlays(PDF, 184KB)

Part 6 to 10 - includes all Zone, Development and Overlay Codes

Part 6.1 - Preliminary(PDF, 104KB)

Part 6.2.1. - Major Centre Zone Code(PDF, 222KB)

Part 6.2.2. - District Centre Zone Code(PDF, 195KB)

Part 6.2.3. - Local Centre Zone Code(PDF, 148KB)

Part 6.2.4. - Township Zone Code(PDF, 149KB)

Part 6.2.5. - Low Impact Industry Zone Code(PDF, 149KB)

Part 6.2.6. - Medium Impact Industry Zone Code(PDF, 150KB)

Part 6.2.7. - High Impact Industry Zone Code(PDF, 186KB)

Part 6.2.8. - Low Density Residential Zone Code(PDF, 186KB)

Part 6.2.9. - Medium Density Residential Zone Code(PDF, 147KB)

Part 6.2.10. - Rural Zone Code(PDF, 140KB)

Part 6.2.11. - Rural Residential Zone Code(PDF, 140KB)

Part 6.2.12. - Community Facilities Zone Code(PDF, 179KB)

Part 6.2.13. - Recreation and Open Space Zone Code(PDF, 179KB)

Part 7 - Local Plans(PDF, 158KB)

Part 8.1. - Preliminary(PDF, 105KB)

Part 8.2.1. - Airport Environs Overlay Code(PDF, 106KB)

Part 8.2.2. - Biodiversity Area Overlay Code(PDF, 116KB)

Part 8.2.3. - Bushfire Hazard Overlay Code(PDF, 111KB)

Part 8.2.4. - Flood Hazard Overlay Code(PDF, 203KB)

Part 8.2.5. - Heritage Overlay Code(PDF, 156KB)

Part 8.2.6. - Infrastructure Overlay Code(PDF, 160KB)

Part 8.2.7. - Natural Resources Overlay Code(PDF, 125KB)

Part 8.2.8. - Regional Infrastructure Corridor - Stock Route Overlay Code(PDF, 176KB)

Part 8.2.9. - Scenic Amenity Overlay Code(PDF, 117KB)

Part 8.2.10. - Stormwater Overland Flow Path Overlay Code(PDF, 114KB)

Part 8.2.11 - Waterway Corridors Overlay Code(PDF, 113KB)

Part 8.2.12. - Wetlands Overlay Code(PDF, 111KB)

Parts 9.1. - 9.2. - Preliminary(PDF, 103KB)

Part 9.2.1. - Accommodation Activities Code(PDF, 189KB)

Part 9.2.2. - Battery Storage Facility Code(PDF, 145KB)

Part 9.2.3. - Extractive Industry Code(PDF, 156KB)

Part 9.2.4. - Home Based Business Code(PDF, 151KB)

Part 9.2.5. - Rural Activities Code(PDF, 160KB)

Part 9.2.6. - Telecommunications Facility Code(PDF, 144KB)

Part 9.3.1. - Advertising Devices Code(PDF, 154KB)

Part 9.3.2. - Infrastructure Services Code(PDF, 146KB)

Part 9.3.3. - Operational Works Code(PDF, 162KB)

Part 9.3.4. - Reconfiguring a Lot Code(PDF, 161KB)

Part 9.3.5. - Transport Access and Parking Code(PDF, 198KB)

Part 10 - Other Plans(PDF, 106KB)

Schedule 1 to 3 - includes Land Use Definitions

Schedule 1.1. - Use Definitions(PDF, 257KB)

Schedule 1.1.1. - Defined Activity Groups(PDF, 110KB)

Schedule 1.1.2. - Industry Thresholds(PDF, 170KB)

Schedule 1.2 - Administrative Terms(PDF, 193KB)

Schedule 2 - Mapping(PDF, 3MB)

Schedule 3 - Local Government Infrastructure Plan Mapping and Supporting Information(PDF, 110KB)

Schedule 4 to 6 - includes Planning Scheme Policies

Schedule 4 - Notations Required under the Planning Act 2016(PDF, 187KB)

Schedule 5 - Designation of Premises for Development(PDF, 184KB)

Planning Scheme Policy Index(PDF, 30KB)

Planning Scheme Policy 1 - Design and Construction Guidelines(PDF, 2MB)

Planning Scheme Policy 2 - Ecological Assessment Guidelines(PDF, 899KB)

Planning Scheme Policy 3 - Landscape Character Analysis Guidelines(PDF, 760KB)

Planning Scheme Policy 4 - Local Heritage Places(PDF, 69KB)

Planning Scheme Policy 5 - Development Application Requirements(PDF, 85KB)

The mapping of the Current Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 incorporating Amendment 2 can be accessed below:

Zone and Overlay Maps

Zone Maps(PDF, 120MB)

Airport Environs Overlay Maps(PDF, 20MB)

Biodiversity Area Overlay Maps(PDF, 42MB)

Bushfire Hazard Overlay Maps(PDF, 65MB)

Flood Hazard Overlay Maps(PDF, 161MB)

Cultural Heritage Overlay Maps(PDF, 46MB)

Infrastructure Overlay Maps(PDF, 66MB)

Extractive Industry Overlay Maps(PDF, 13MB)

Agricultural Land Classification Overlay Maps(PDF, 27MB)

Water Resource Catchment Overlay Maps(PDF, 15MB)

Regional Infrastructure Corridor - Stock Route Overlay Maps(PDF, 25MB)

Scenic Amenity Overlay Maps(PDF, 32MB)

Stormwater Overland Flow Path Overlay Maps(PDF, 94MB)

Waterway Corridor Overlay Maps(PDF, 26MB)

Wetlands Overlay Map(PDF, 25MB)

Road Hierarchy Overlay Map(PDF, 51MB)

Noise Corridor Overlay Map(PDF, 38MB)

Extractive Industry MDL Overlay Map(PDF, 10MB)

Extractive Industry ML Overlay Map(PDF, 7MB)

Strategic Framework Maps

Infrastructure Plan Maps and Extrinsic Material

Previous Planning Schemes

Once an amendment or new planning scheme commences the previous editions become superseded versions, valid for one year from the commencement date.

Under the provisions of the Planning Act 2016, a person may request that a proposed development be assessed and decided under a superseded planning scheme.

After this time, the superseded edition becomes a historic planning scheme and requests for assessment cannot be made by an applicant.

Superseded Scheme

Amendment 1 of the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 is superseded as of 28 July 2025.

Requests for assessment must be made to Council in writing within one year (12 months) of the new amendment's commencement date.

Further information about the process requirements and associated application fees, please contact Council's Planning Department on 1300 COUNCIL.

The relevant parts of the Superseded Planning Scheme can be accessed below.

Historic Schemes

Historic planning schemes are provided for reference only.

Historic Planning Scheme	Superseded Date
Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017, Version 2(PDF,9MB) (Version in accordance with the Minister's Rules for the purpose of the Alignment Amendment to the Planning Act 2016)	2 September 2019
Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017, Version 1	17 July 2017
Chinchilla Shire Planning Scheme	20 March 2017
Dalby Town Planning Scheme 2007	20 March 2017
Murilla Shire Planning Scheme	20 March 2017
Tara Shire Planning Scheme(PDF,12MB)	20 March 2017
Taroom Shire Planning Scheme	20 March 2017
Wambo Shire Planning Scheme	20 March 2017