Tool #6 Exploring possibilities

Past and present information about your community now charted.  It is time to start looking forward.

Some of the work is likely to have been done already.  Check for town or regional plans or community visions done by a chamber of commerce.

Here is a list and brief description of existing plans and visions for communities we studied in the Western Downs Region of Queensland, Australia.

This tool points you to existing community plans and priorities for future development.  It can help to identify aspects of a community that are agreed to be important.  It also helps in understanding the state-wide, regional, and town level forces, and preferences, driving for future development. 

What can plans tell us?

Regional plans, strategic plans, and land-use plans provide information about the assets (e.g., land, roads, commercially zoned areas) needed for sustainable growth.  Regional plans are usually developed by governments.  They are oriented to ensure efficient use of resources for maximum public benefit.  What counts as ‘public benefit’ may be debated, but public benefit is an agreed goal.

Community plans are meant to reflect the views of the local community as to what they value.  That is, what would promote ‘liveability’ in the future?  Such plans often focus on services, facilities, recreation, and arts.

How do I use this tool?

Seven steps to using the tool

1. Open the table
2. Choose the plan most relevant to your needs, use the explanations given.
3. Click on the link provided
4. Open the worksheet (for logged in users)
5. Review the information
6. Fill in the worksheet
7. Connections with other tools.

The plans and visions listed below were collected in relation to development in Queensland.  They are an example of the array of plans that would be gathered for other regions.  

Basically, one looks at the town level, e.g., a chamber of commerce vision for the town or a researcher's profile of the town.  Then, look at the regional level - to see where the region is meant to be headed.  Plans at this level can also indicate the future of your target town.  Additionally, consider state plans and possibly national plans, as they can apply to the region and key towns in the region.   

Choose a plan

• Regional

  Draft Western Downs Planning Scheme 2012	Draft Western Downs Planning Scheme 2012 A statutory document produced by the WDRC under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 that guides land use and development. It provides maps with overlays of infrastructure, heritage, environment, land use for each town. This document replaces the six town planning schemes.
  Cover image placeholder	Western Downs Economic Development Plan 2011-2015 Designed to build long-term competitive advantage for the region. It outlines a range of objectives to drive economic development and innovation under 5 key theses of leadership, Business growth, Business Investment, Workforce and Strategic Infrastructure.
  Western Downs Cultural Plan 2013-2017	Draft Cultural Plan 2013-2017 An Action Plan for the WDRC for investment in the arts, culture, heritage and creative industries to improve the region’s liveability.
  Western Downs 2050 Community Plan	Western Downs 2050 Community Plan This sets out what the community thinks is important. The document provides long term vision and strategic direction to enable the community to guide its own future.
  Cover image placeholder	Western Downs Business Capability Study 2013 A regional profile of businesses and their capabilities. Aims to better match local requirements with local suppliers
  Western Downs Regional Council Corporate Plan 2013-2017	Western Downs Regional Council Corporate Plan 2013-2017 A business plan for the WDRC that sets out priority strategies. It translates the community’s long terms visions (in the Community Plan) into actions for Council.
  Darling Downs Regional Plan	Darling Downs Regional Plan Seeks to address potential land conflicts between agriculture and mining by outlining priority agricultural areas and priority living areas.
  Surat Basin Regional Planning Framework 2011	Surat Basin Regional Planning Framework 2011 Informs planning for growth in the Surat basin. Includes projections of growth and mining activities. Part B is a regional vision; Part C describes key themes from the vision and strategic directions for achieving them.

• At the Town scale

  Cover image placeholder	Miles Community Investment Plan 2014-2019 Community generated vision for investment in the Miles community. Outlines key projects and opportunities.
  Community well-being and responding to change	Community well-being and responding to change A study by CSIRO on community well-being and resilience, including expectations of future well-being. Focussed on Chinchilla.

• At the Queensland scale

  Cover image placeholder	The Queensland Plan A vision for the next 30 years, this identifies local and state-wide priorities for development.
  Cover image placeholder	Governing for growth Sets out priority areas for economic reform to create favourable conditions for private sector investment to create new jobs.
  Cover image placeholder	Royalties for the Regions From 2012-2016, provides investment for new and improved community infrastructure including roads, schools, flood mitigation for those in resource regions.
  Cover image placeholder	Regional Economic and Infrastructure Frameworks and Plans The Queensland Government has developed plans for the Darling Downs and Central highlands regions that highlight the economic potential of each region and a range of economic development opportunities. The plans are aimed at promoting private investment in infrastructure.
  Regional and Resource Towns Action Plan	Regional and Resource Towns Action Plan Identifies key issues for resource regions and towns, recognising that these areas require specific, short-term actions in response to mining development.
  Surat Basin Future Directions Statement 2010	Surat Basin Future Directions Statement  2010 Commits the state government to work with local government and industry to produce a series of specific issue plans to manage growth in the region.