Frequently asked questions

The City Plan is a comprehensive framework that guides growth and development on the Gold Coast. It aligns development strategies with community needs and environmental considerations, aiming to balance growth and preservation of the region’s unique character.

The Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is a key component of the City Plan which focuses on delivering trunk infrastructure to support the city’s growth. The LGIP includes planning assumptions, costs, and a mapping tool to visualise ‘trunk’ infrastructure projects and service delivery.

The LGIP forms Part 4 and Schedule 3 of the City Plan and can be accessed here.

The Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) shows when and where we are planning to provide important ‘trunk’ infrastructure to support future growth. It helps plan infrastructure for new homes, jobs and community spaces as the city grows.

The LGIP includes large, shared infrastructure like:

• transport (roads and intersections)
• stormwater 
• water supply and sewerage
• public parks and sports grounds
• land for libraries and community centres

The LGIP excludes:

• private infrastructure inside a development such as water pipes and driveways. 
• State provided infrastructure such as schools, State highways, or hospitals. 
• Federally provided infrastructure such as airports and ports, heavy rail, national highways, telecom or energy.

Trunk infrastructure is defined as the larger items of infrastructure that service multiple users and developments, as opposed to non-trunk infrastructure, which typically serves a single development. For example, a large road may be considered trunk infrastructure, whereas an access road to a particular development is non-trunk infrastructure.

Part 2 of the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules (MGR) defines that an interim amendment does not propose to reduce the size of, remove an area from, or remove, a Priority Infrastructure Area (PIA) from the LGIP. As this amendment does not propose to remove an area or reduce the size of the PIA, it has been progressed as an interim amendment to the LGIP. 

On 14 November 2023, Council resolved to make an interim amendment to the LGIP. Although this interim LGIP amendment will be adopted into the City Plan, there is work underway to replace the City Plan with a new Planning Scheme and a Local Growth Management Strategy (providing an overarching strategic direction for the new Planning Scheme). Once the new Planning Scheme is adopted, there will likely be a further amendment required to the LGIP to reflect this.

The Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) helps plan infrastructure for new homes, jobs and community spaces as the city grows.

• ShapingSEQ 2023 has projected that by 2046, the Gold Coast will have: 
  • 388,300 more people
  • 173,800 new jobs
• To support this growth, the city will need 
  • 185,300 new homes (including tourist accommodation).

The Interim Local Government Infrastructure Amendment can impact you in several ways, depending on the specific changes and the location of your property or forecasted development. 

Some potential impacts may be:

• Infrastructure delivery schedule: Changes to the delivery schedule of trunk infrastructure can affect when and how infrastructure is built and delivered to your area.  
• Desired standards of service: These standards might be improvements to the quality and run-off of our stormwater, water pressure from our taps, how long we sit in traffic or how big our parks are.
• Development conditions: Trunk infrastructure could be identified on or near your property. If a development application is lodged for your property. The City may impose conditions to ensure that trunk infrastructure is provided to Council standards.

You can provide feedback on proposed changes to the Local Government Infrastructure Plan, which may or may not include your property.

It's important to stay informed about the Local Government Infrastructure Plan and its amendments to understand how they may affect your property and forecasted development plans.

Your feedback matters and helps shape the future of our city.

To check if your property is impacted by the Interim LGIP Amendment, you can visit our interactive mapping tool.

1. Go to https://cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/eplan/property/0/0/226
2. Type your address in the search bar. The interactive map will zoom into the address.
3. At the Map Tools on the right-hand side of the screen, turn on map layers for ‘Draft Interim Local Government Infrastructure Plan Amendment’.
4. Turn on and off different plan for trunk infrastructure layers for each infrastructure network.
5. Click the Legend button to understand the symbology.
6. Each LGIP project has a label for its ID, which can be referred to in City Plan Schedule 3 or the SOW model for more detailed information.
7. For more information, please click the Help button. 

Public consultation is a process where the public is invited to provide feedback on various government matters. This process is essential for ensuring that the decisions made by Council meet the needs and concerns of the community.

Making a submission via the submission portal on the City Plan website is easy – visit How to make a formal submission on a City Plan amendment for instructions.

You can also read the step-by-step instructions on how to use the Submissions portal to make a submission.

Regular reviews are conducted to update the Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) with the latest development projections, planning assumptions, and to align with revised growth projections and costs. This ensures that the trunk infrastructure services provided will meet the city’s future requirements and that the LGIP remains a valuable tool for long-term planning and financial management.

Key updates include:

• revised planning assumptions about the type, scale, location, and timing of future development
• updated demand projections for each trunk infrastructure network (e.g. transport network)
• a new planning horizon
• updated plans for trunk infrastructure (maps)
• a reviewed of desired standards of service (e.g. the amount of water supplied per dwelling, amount of parkland supplied per person)
• updated costs, financial modelling and forecasting.

The planning horizon defines how far into the future planning activities extend, influencing decision making and resource allocation. It is important to establish a clear planning horizon to effectively anticipate and respond to future conditions. A well-defined planning horizon helps with aligning short-term actions with long-term goals, ensuring that immediate decisions support overarching strategic objectives. 

2041 is the planning horizon for the purposes of the Interim LGIP Amendment. 

Population projections are aligned to ShapingSEQ 2023 and the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO) projection series. ShapingSEQ 2023 and QGSO 2023 edition projections form the basis for the Interim LGIP Amendment. 

Employment forecasts are provided by the Department of Transport and Main Roads; this is based on the QGSO 2023 edition projections ensuring alignment between both State and Local Government.

Resident population refers to the number of people who are considered residents based on their usual residence. This includes all individuals who live in the area for at least 12 of the last 16 months. In contrast, the total population refers to the entire number of people, regardless of their usual residence. This includes tourists and residents staying in short-term accommodation or resort complexes.

A base date in a Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is important as it provides a base reference point, allowing the City to align the infrastructure planning with the most recent available projections from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO). This alignment ensures that the LGIP reflects the most current and relevant information, particularly in areas experiencing rapid growth. 

June 2024 is the base date selected for the preparation of this Interim LGIP Amendment.

Ultimate Development means the likely extent of development anticipated to be achieved when the area is fully developed.

This takes into consideration the development potential of all zones and precincts by applying planned densities for various land uses to the developable area of land. Ultimate development provides the population and employment capacity for land at various locations across the city.

The financial model within the Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is prepared to inform budget costing and accounting impacts on key budget aggregates. It aligns with the Planning Act 2016 and the Ministers Guidelines and Rules (MGR). The integration of the financial model into the LGIP is crucial for ensuring that the infrastructure development aligns with the financial capabilities and priorities of the city, ensuring that it meets the needs of the community while managing the financial resources effectively.

The SOW model is locked from edits to ensure that the correct outputs are always displayed.

The Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) is a strategic plan indicating the latest trunk infrastructure needs. If the City’s assumptions about growth change, then projects may be brought forward, delayed or replaced with alternate infrastructure.

A hotline has been set up for enquiries received during public consultation. The number is 1300 151 267. Alternatively, you can email Strategicinfrastructure@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

A public consultation relates to specific City Plan amendments only. If you have a separate matter you wish to discuss with Council, please visit our website or call 1300 GOLDCOAST. You can also email at: mail@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Every formal (properly made) submission lodged is assigned a unique submission number. 

Submitters will receive an individual response for every submission lodged. In addition, a Consultation Report will be prepared and published by Council summarising all formal (properly made) submissions and the City’s response. 

Yes, the City will publish a Consultation Report summarising all formal (properly made) submissions and the City’s response. It is important to note that no personal information will be published in the report (only the submitters submission number). This will be made available online to all members of the public.

Once public consultation has ended, the City will review the submissions received and consider them in the decision-making process. All submitters will receive an individual response, and a Consultation Report will be published on-line identifying any considered changes.

The Interim LGIP Amendment will then proceed for adoption into the City Plan.