City of Gold Coast Planning and Development Hub

We are inviting Gold Coast residents who are working from home to share their experiences and participate in an online survey.

The survey seeks to gather data on how home based workers’ go about their daily activities and how this new way of working may impact the city, our traffic and demand for local services and open space.

The survey is part of the Productive Gold Coast project. The purpose of this project is to gather data on employment trends across the City, their nature, how they are changing, and how this change should be recognised and optimised through robust City Plan provisions.

This project is more important than ever as people continue to work from home during COVID-19. The findings will contribute to how we need to adapt and allow for a diverse, innovative and localised economy to rebuild.

Have your say by visiting gchaveyoursay.com.au/productive

The survey is opened to all Gold Coast residents over the aged of 18 who work from home at least one day a week.

The survey is open from 15 October 2020.

The City of Gold Coast (City) is proud to once again support Gold Coast Open House (2020 GCOH).

In its sixth year, Gold Coast Open House unlocks the doors to buildings and places not usually open to the public.

The Open House mission is to engage visitors in dialogue about the value of on the Gold Coast and generously share this knowledge by making buildings, places and spaces accessible to the public free of charge.

This year’s Open House event will be delivered virtually, giving you more access than ever before.

The event will feature:

• a series of short on-line armchair video tours of iconic award winning houses narrated by local architects

• live stream tour event on each day at one of our special showcase venues

• a series of short videos produced by Griffith University and Bond University students showcasing a number of selected iconic award winning buildings around the city with their unique perspective and a series of short videos showcasing the evolution and behind the scenes tours of places like HOTA and the Tugun Desalination Plant.

Please join Gold Coast Open House online, via their website, Facebook or Instagram for a virtual 2020 GCOH weekend.

How can we work together to adapt, reset and grow in a changing world? This is the theme for Gold Coast Business Week Online (GCBW20).

In line with this year’s theme, we’re adapting by introducing a completely virtual experience that will open up more opportunities for professionals at every level to connect with potential leads, identify business prospects and access best-practice recovery and adaptation resources.

GCBW20 highlights:

·KPMG – Local Gold Coast private-business advisory firm, KPMG Enterprise, will be delivering a series of free group workshops where you can discuss your individual business challenges and get help in setting a road map for recovery and growth.

·Virtual Exhibition Hall - Learn about local products and supply chains and make new business connections as Gold Coast businesses showcase their products and services in the Virtual Exhibition Hall.

·Live presentation and key speakers - Listen to presentations from key speakers on a range of topics that cover actionable, best-practice survival, recovery and adaptation strategies for your business.

·Business resources, recorded presentation and exchange of ideas - Take part in this free exchange of ideas and best-practice learnings in resilience-focused skills, jobs, supply chains, product innovation and strategies.

·Business matching and supply-chain connections - Take part in targeted business matching aimed at helping you to build meaningful networks to strengthen your business.

And, this year, the City of Gold Coast is bringing this event to you completely free of charge to support local businesses.

Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of this exciting event – goldcoastbusinessweek.vfairs.com

You are invited to the virtual Awards Presentation this Friday 16 October at 4pm, live streaming on YouTube (@cityofgoldcoast).

Now in its 21st year, this triennial event celebrates the best of our built environment and has grown in prominence to become a prestigious platform of recognition for design, liveability and sustainability.

Entries have been judged by an independent and eminent jury from the fields of architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and construction, headed by renowned architect, Dr Michael Lavery, Director, m3architecture and President of the Queensland Chapter Australian Institute of Architects.

Join us in showcasing all the 2020 entries and the award winning projects as presented by our talented jury.

https://www.youtube.com/user/cityofgoldcoast

The City of Gold Coast (City) has announced a range of measures to support the city’s building and construction industry during COVID-19.

The measures are designed to stimulate new building and construction work, especially smaller scale projects such as dual occupancies and small offices.

The range of measures are available from 1 October 2020, with the exception of the Express Development Application process which will be available from the 27 October 2020.

Economic stimulus measures include:

• Express Development Application process designed to streamline and speed up approvals of small scale applications
• Reduction in fees for all Referral Agency Applications for 12 months
• Fee waiver for existing businesses that want to change their operations as a result of COVID-19 until 30 December 2020
• Fee waiver for pre lodgement meetings until 30 June 2021
• Reduction in time to assess a request to change a Development Approval where construction has commenced
• Application advice from the City’s free planning advisory service
• Ongoing customer service commitment for Major Assessment, Bonding and Plan Sealing.

More information about these services will be made available on the City's website.

The City of Gold Coast (City) is introducing a new fast track service, called Express Development Application (Express DA). Express DA will commence on the 27 October 2020 and replace the existing RiskSmart service.

Who can lodge an Express DA?

Anyone can lodge an Express DA provided they are an eligible application. This may include owners, planning consultants or agents acting on behalf of the owner.

It is recommended (not required) a planning consultant be engaged to assist with the preparation of an Express DA and provide ongoing support throughout the process.

Cost?

As part of the City’s economic support during COVID-19, the City is offering a 50 per cent discount on Express DAs for 12 months (from 27 October 2020 to 27 October 2021).

This includes a 50 per cent reduction to the regular land use fee.

Application fees will vary depending on the land use and application type. More information on fees for all land uses and application types can be found on the City’s website.

What is Express DA?

An Express DA is a service provided by the City to fast track assessment of low complexity development applications. The Express DA process includes an early review of your application prior to formal lodgement and allows City officers to work directly with you to ensure the application meets the outcomes of the City Plan to allow for a more efficient application process once lodged.

What applications are accepted as Express DA?

Information on eligible application types for the Express DA will be found in the Applicant Guidelines which is currently being finalised. In the meantime, you can read the endorsed Council Report.

The Express DA’s Applicant guidelines will assist you to navigate through the application and will provide detailed information on the full process.

More information about the Express DAs process will be available on the City of Gold Coast website.

You are advised to submit RiskSmart applications under the current system prior to Monday 27 October.

Presented by Tim O’Loan, Director Cities, AECOM Australia New Zealand

With the challenges to the cherished ‘liveability’ of Australian cities increasingly under threat this presentation looks at the motivations behind why our cities have become increasing denser, why people are still attracted to them and how the Australian city can define its own unique response to their context and the changing needs of society, including the more recent COVID-19. What then are the critical elements of a socially, environmentally and economically resilient Australian City?

This presentation seeks to look beyond the specifics of planning legislation, and toward the larger arc of city evolution, to better predict its future. To examine the motivations behind why we congregate and invest in cities, Tim has brought seven themes or ‘city shaping agents’ together to provoke thought and hopefully debate. The areas are explored through: innovation and employment precincts; culture and entertainment precincts; transit and land use coordination; water and power nexus; open space; and governance and social attitudes.

About Tim O’Loan

Tim leads AECOM’s Cities group across Australia and New Zealand, which seeks to identify and make possible critical urban and social infrastructure opportunities within major cities across the region. Through the application of independent research, Tim is focused and passionate about driving broad, integrated strategies that attract people and investment, and overcome financial and operational challenges for the benefit of the community.

Tim has worked on significant integrated developments and master planning projects in Australia and internationally. He has built a team focused on urban policy and development strategies that underpin world-class infrastructure that enhances the environment, equity, and economy of our cities.Recently Tim is focused on; the Fishermans Bend Employment and innovation District in Melbourne, the Melbourne Cricket Ground Deck Concept project, and is a member of the Creative Director team for the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Event details:

Virtual event

Free

12:30 - 1:30pm

Thursday 24 September 2020

RSVP: oca@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Link to attend the virtual event will be provided once you have registered.

Protecting our iconic city’s lifestyle, environment and assets from the impacts of coastal hazards is a high priority for us all.

As we know, our precious coastline is dynamic and always changing. To safeguard for the future the City of Gold Coast is developing Our Resilient City – our plan for coastal adaptation.

State Government projections indicate by 2100 possible sea level rise of 0.8 metres and more cyclone activity tracking south which could mean an increase in coastal hazards.

The City is building on decades of experience continuing to work with stakeholders, asset owners, key agencies, businesses and the community to plan for future coastal hazards.

The long-term plan is supported by QCoast_2100, the State Government’s Coastal Hazards Adaptation program, providing funding to Queensland Councils to develop coastal resilience plans.

Your involvement is valued to help identify adaptation options to avoid, manage or mitigate coastal hazards.

Our areas of focus include land use planning and development assessment, infrastructure planning and management, asset management, community planning, business continuity planning, and emergency management.

Our coast is integral to our city’s lifestyle, reputation and identity. It’s important to become involved and have your say, so the City can align with stakeholder expectations, preferences and values.

Visit gchaveyour.com.au/ourresilientcity to learn more. Community consultation is open until 23 September.

The City of Gold Coast (City) now accepts electronically submitted survey plans.

The Titles Registry communicated with the industry on 24 April 2020 that a new process for assessment of electronic survey plans has been implemented effective from 27 April 2020 as per the Titles Registry Alert 168.

This new process has been implemented to reduce the handling of physical survey plans by allowing a Planning Body to assess and approve an electronic version of the survey plan and is the first phase of the Titles Registry moving towards electronic lodgement of survey plans.

It is important to note that execution of all legal documents is still required in hard copy format as per the current process. The Titles Registry has not changed this part of the approval process.

To allow for the submission of electronic survey plans the City has created an option for plan sealing applications to be lodged by email. This process is detailed on the City of Gold Coast website.

For further information please email plansealing@goldcoast.qld.gov.au.

The City of Gold Coast’s 'As-Constructed' Data Capture Guidelines have been updated to Version 2. Changes primarily relate to the alignment of asset attribution with the latest version of IPWEA’s ADAC version 5.01. In addition non-ADAC asset types that require as-constructed information to be handed over to the City are now included in the Guidelines.

The Draft As-Constructed Data Capture Guidelines Version 2 was published on the City’s website in May 2020, after an Industry Briefing that took place on 19 February 2020.

The City will accept as-constructed submissions that align with the previous As Constructed Data Capture Guidelines version 1.3 (that aligns with ADAC Version 4.2) until 31 December 2020. All development approvals and contracts that are executed from 1 August 2020 will be required to comply with Version 2 (ADAC 5.01) of the Guidelines.

The Guidelines are now available online.