The Queensland Government is currently progressing its review of the State Planning Policy, having released the draft State Planning Policy 2026 (Draft SPP) for public consultation.
Public consultation closed on 26 October 2026, and the draft is now being considered by the State Government. Following review and finalisation of the policy, the final SPP is expected to be released in 2027, although the proclamation date has not yet been confirmed
The Draft SPP seeks to better reflect Queensland’s current growth and development landscape, ensuring the planning framework is equipped to accommodate population growth, support economic development and facilitate future investment across the State. It introduces several strategic changes and signals the State’s future planning priorities.

What’s Changing?

The draft SPP introduces six strategic aspirations designed to guide planning outcomes and assist in balancing competing state interests. The revised structure seeks to provide a clearer strategic framework for plan-making and development assessment.
A notable procedural change is the proposed removal of assessment benchmarks from the SPP, with these provisions to be relocated and consolidated within the Planning Regulation 2017. This approach is intended to streamline the planning framework by separating strategic policy from assessment requirements.
While many of the proposed changes are strategic in nature, including a restructured State Interest framework, several key themes are of particular relevance to TfA and its clients.

Protection of Industrial and Employment Lands

Protecting these uses, and land for these uses, from encroachment by incompatible development, including sensitive uses
One of the most significant themes emerging from the draft SPP is the protection of existing and approved industrial land from encroachment by incompatible uses. The draft includes explicit strategic support for protecting:

• Medium impact industries
• High impact industries
• Special industries
• Hazardous Chemical Facilities (HCF)

This direction aligns with long-standing industry concerns in relation to the gradual encroachment of residential and other sensitive uses into established industrial precincts, often resulting in increased land use conflicts and constraints on industrial operations. While strategic in nature, such direction will funnel down to future planning scheme amendments and industrial land protection measures at the local government level.

Stronger Support for Strategic Ports and Logistics

Identify and protect sufficient allocation of land, services and infrastructure for strategic ports, associated strategic port land and core port land.

The draft SPP also reinforces the importance of Queensland’s port network by providing explicit strategic support for the protection of:

• Strategic ports
• Associated strategic port land
• Core port land.

This policy direction is likely to support the ongoing operation and expansion of key freight, logistics and export infrastructure and may become increasingly relevant for projects associated with:

• Port of Brisbane
• Port of Gladstone
• Port of Townsville
• Port of Mackay
• Other Queensland strategic ports
• Emerging freight and logistics precincts

A New Approach to Hazards and Resilience

Identifying natural hazard areas, including areas suitable for development where an acceptable or tolerable level of risk can be achieved

The draft SPP proposes a more risk-based approach to natural hazard planning.

Under the proposed framework, development should generally be avoided where risks cannot be managed to an acceptable or tolerable level. Conversely, where risk can be appropriately mitigated, development may be supported through suitable design and planning responses.

Key areas of focus include:

• Natural Hazards – the draft policy introduces a stronger focus on resilience and risk management rather than solely hazard avoidance.
• Coastal Erosion – to reduce risk exposure by limiting inappropriate development within erosion-prone areas.
• Acid Sulfate Soils – additional emphasis is placed on early site identification, minimising disturbance and implementing appropriate mitigation measures where impacts cannot be avoided.

It is understood that this more risk-based approach may provide greater opportunity to demonstrate acceptable planning outcomes through engineering design, site planning and operational controls.

Assessment Benchmarks: Limited Immediate Change

At this stage, many of the practical assessment benchmarks remain largely unchanged.

Most existing SPP assessment benchmarks are proposed to transition into the Planning Regulation 2017 on a largely ‘like-for-like’ basis, with technical amendments to wording and legislative references.

For example, in relation to natural hazards:

• The draft assessment benchmarks are currently based on the existing State Planning Policy 2017 provisions.
• These benchmarks are expected to be reviewed following consideration of the natural hazards planning policy reforms.
• As a result, the current benchmark package does not yet fully reflect the terminology and policy approach adopted by the draft SPP.

What Does This Mean for Industry?

The draft SPP appears to represent a larger shift in strategic planning direction than in day-to-day development assessment requirements. While many of the practical assessment provisions remain substantially unchanged at this stage, the draft policy provides an indication of the State’s longer-term planning priorities and may influence future planning scheme amendments and the assessment of development applications.

For further information or to discuss the above matters, please contact our Town Planning team, who would be happy to assist.

Telephone – 1300 794 300
Email – enquiry@TfA.com.au
Website – www.TfA.com.au