The Property Council of Australia (PCA) has expressed great concern following today’s release of the new Queensland Coastal Plan by Minister for Environment and Resource Management Kate Jones.

Ms Jones has moved to protect more coastal areas from development with a new, consistent approach to coastal planning aimed at stopping more coastline and communities becoming vulnerable to erosion and inundation, associated with climate change and severe weather events.

State Environment Minister Kate Jones said the plan took the long-term view that was needed.
"Councils will be able to better plan for the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, not just over the next few decades but over the next 100 years," she said.

But Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia Kathy Mac Dermott said the Plan introduces major uncertainty and raises a raft of question just days before the Premier’s Building Revival Forum on 12 April 2011.

“The coastal plan raises serious issues around property values, future land use and development rights - along with existing and future state and local government infrastructure.

“Until there is certainty around these issues, the plan further erodes investor confidence and diminishes Queensland’s competitiveness.

According to PCA the Queensland government has prepared coastal hazard area maps showing areas projected to be at risk up to the year 2100. These maps factor in climate change impacts, including sea-level rise of 80 centimetres and a 10 per cent increase in the maximum potential intensity of cyclones.

“We understand that approximately 100,000 properties in Queensland are located within the areas identified as ‘high hazard’, with an additional 60.000 properties located in ‘medium hazard’ areas,” said Ms Mac Dermott.

The 160.000 properties at risk equate to 10 per cent of all Queensland properties.

“The Queensland government has sent a strong message that settlement in high hazard zones should be ‘avoided’,” she said.

According to PCA, councils will have up to five years to draw up ‘adaptation plans’ for (development in) at-risk areas, and the Queensland Government is working with the Local Government Association Queensland on guidelines.

“We do not expect any immediate prohibition of development in existing urban areas within identified hazard zones.

“However, additional costs for development projects are to be expected as yet unknown mitigation measures will have to be negotiated with Councils, with project timelines also affected.

“This is yet another State Planning Policy (SPP) that undermines the South East Queensland Regional Plan, and which could also lead to up to 5 years of uncertainty in Government mapped hazard zones.

“As part of its 2011 Advocacy Agenda, the Property Council has called for a moratorium on SPPs for the next three years.”

The Property Council is currently undertaking a detailed review of the Queensland Coastal Plan and its implications for the property industry in Queensland.