FAQs

The Blackwater PDA declaration occurred on 30 July 2010 and was followed by the Blackwater East PDA on 21 June 2013. At the time, council requested the declarations to facilitate the management of development and planning during periods of high development activity. Prior to this, all development within these areas was assessed under the former Duaringa Shire Planning Scheme (included Blackwater, Bluff, Dingo, Duaringa and Bauhinia).

Due to limited development activity in the PDAs, Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) approached council to transition the PDAs back into the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016 (the planning scheme) and under the provisions of the Planning Act 2016 (the PA).

Since 2020, the Strategic Land Use team and the Manager of Planning and Land Management have been meeting more regularly with officers from Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) to discuss how to progress a revocation of the Blackwater and Blackwater East Priority Development Areas.

On 9 December 2024, the Minister for Economic Development (MEDQ) formally requested council to prepare the Planning Instrument Change (PIC). On 11 December 2024, Central Highlands Regional Council passed a resolution (2024/12/11/008) to endorse the preparation of a Planning Instrument Change (PIC) under s42A(1) of the Economic Development Act 2012 which will reintegrate the areas subject to the Blackwater and Blackwater East Priority Development Areas into the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016 (CHRC planning scheme).

The proposed PIC and associated documentation was drafted and subsequently presented to council on 26 March 2025. It was unanimously resolved that Central Highlands Regional Council: 

1. Submit the proposed planning instrument change and associated documentation to the Minister for Economic Development Queensland for approval in accordance with s42C of the Economic Development Act 2012.  
2. Authorises the Chief Executive Officer to undertake all necessary steps to: 

a. Gain the approval of the Minister of Economic Development Queensland to proceed to public notification so long as this does not entail any significant revisions to the proposed planning instrument change; and

b. Undertake public notification generally in accordance with the proposed Community Engagement Plan. 

Provisions under the Economic Development Act 2012 (ED Act) and the Planning Act 2016 (Planning Act) allow a single process to be undertaken to revoke the PDAs and incorporate these areas back into the planning scheme. This process is outlined in Division 3(External link) of the ED Act. 

What this means is that council will need to propose (through a draft for public consultation) zone changes throughout the current PDAs to align with zones utilised in the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016 (the planning scheme).

In most instances, the zones under the PDAs will transition into comparable zones in the planning scheme. For example, The Blackwater Urban Development Scheme has five zones (Residential, Centres, Industry, Community and Open Space). The Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme has 17 zones. Zones under the CHRC Planning scheme whose primary purpose is residential use include the “Rural residential zone”, the “General Residential zone”, and the “High density residential zone”. There are many similarities between the residential zones under Blackwater Urban Development Scheme and the CHRC Planning Scheme. However, some forms of residential development may trigger more or less requirements for a development application such as for a duplex or dual occupancy. 

Council will be seeking community input on whether the zone proposed to be used in the future is the most appropriate for that particular area or lot. There may also be discussion around whether particular lots should be rezoned for other uses.

Additionally, there will be some other subsequent changes to ensure that Blackwater’s place and community vision is reflected in the planning scheme, local government infrastructure planning, and council’s infrastructure charging resolution.

Once these changes are “adopted”, any development applications in Blackwater will go through the same processes and work under the same “rules”, planning scheme and legislation that guides development for the rest of the region.

Revocation of the Blackwater and Blackwater East PDAs will provide the following benefits:

• Simplification of assessment processes for the council and the community
• Council will regain control over the long-term planning and development of the PDA area. Through amendments to the planning scheme, council can encourage or discourage different types of development and ensure that community expectations for the future long-term development of Blackwater can be reflected in the planning scheme.
• Properly made submitters against a development application in the PDAs will gain the right to appeal a decision or condition in a court of law.