The Local Growth Management Strategy: a 20-year guide to responsible, sustainable growth

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Urban areas can play an important role in protecting native plants and animals. Even in built-up areas, valuable natural habitats can support biodiversity. Well-designed cities can help wildlife thrive while improving community health and wellbeing. More tree cover cools urban areas, provides habitat for native species, and enhances quality of life. Creating cities that work for both people and nature can also help protect threatened species.

Biodiversity in urban areas relies on connected networks of trees, gardens, green roofs, parks, bushland, waterways and other green spaces. Even small green spaces can support important wildlife and plant communities, but they often face challenges from fragmentation and edge effects.

Fragmentation occurs when large areas of vegetation are divided into smaller, isolated patches. Edge effects include changes such as increased sunlight, higher temperatures, stronger winds and weed invasion. Roads and other infrastructure can also limit wildlife movement between habitats.

Good planning and design can help address these challenges. By improving habitat connections and applying transport ecology principles, cities can support biodiversity while creating healthier, more liveable communities.

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The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) does not determine the naming of buildings, parks, public spaces or other Council assets.

The LGMS focuses on how the City will manage growth over the next 20 years, including housing, jobs, infrastructure, transport and the natural environment.

The naming of buildings, parks, public spaces and other Council assets is managed through separate Council policies and processes and is outside the scope of the LGMS.

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Ormeau is an important part of the city's northern growth area and is expected to continue growing over the next 20 years.

The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) recognises that growth needs to be supported by infrastructure, including transport, open space, community facilities and other services. One of the strategy's key directions is ensuring infrastructure is planned and delivered to support a growing city. The strategy also supports advocacy for investment in critical infrastructure, including public transport, as communities continue to grow. 

Matters such as park maintenance, bins, dog waste bag dispensers, and specific traffic improvement requests can be reported through Council's "Report, Pay, Apply" portal at: https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Services/Report-pay-apply 

Whilst bus service frequency is a Translink matter and outside the scope of the LGMS, the City will continue to advocate for improved public transport services to better meet the needs of the community.

The Gold Coast's development projections are prepared in accordance with the State’s Minister's Guidelines and Rules and the projections established by the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO). The development projections have been used as a baseline for policy testing and to support Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) preparation.

Prior to accepting the State's population targets, the City actively contributed local data, technical analysis and planning advice through State planning processes to help inform how growth is allocated and managed across the region. This input seeks to ensure growth assumptions and projections appropriately reflect local circumstances, infrastructure considerations and the long-term needs of the Gold Coast while maintaining the overall growth outcomes established through the regional planning framework.

The City will continue to inform and advocate for evidence-based population targets as part of each South East Queensland Regional plan review and updates to population projections published by QGSO.

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Providing more affordable housing is one of the key challenges identified in the Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS). Housing affordability pressures are increasing across the city and we need a broader mix of housing options to meet the needs of different households, including key workers, families, young people and seniors.

The LGMS supports affordability by encouraging a greater variety of housing types in well-located areas that are close to jobs, services and public transport. These housing types are:

• small lot homes
• dual occupancies
• terraces
• townhouses
• walk-up apartments
• medium-rise apartments 

A wider range of housing types can provide more housing choice and help meet the needs of people at different life stages and income levels.

The LGMS does not regulate housing prices or determine whether individual developments meet the planning definition of affordable housing. It also does not dictate which market segment a development might target. These matters are influenced by a range of factors, including land values, construction costs, market conditions, government policy and investment decisions.

Through the new Planning Scheme, which is currently being developed and will be informed by the LGMS, the City will continue to investigate opportunities to support greater housing diversity and affordability while balancing liveability, infrastructure capacity and community needs.

Thank you for your comments. We have been encouraged by the amount of community feedback we are receiving in relation to the LGMS. Our team is continuing to review feedback and we’ll be responding with more detail shortly.

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The City recognises that the Gold Coast’s beaches, foreshore areas and coastal open spaces are highly valued by residents and visitors. The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) supports protecting and enhancing the city’s natural environment while also maintaining attractive, accessible and enjoyable public spaces that contribute to the Gold Coast lifestyle. It also promotes well-designed public spaces that balance environmental values, recreation, amenity and community enjoyment.

Management of beachfront vegetation requires careful consideration of environmental, coastal and biodiversity outcomes. While maintaining views is important to many residents, vegetation within foreshore areas also plays a key role in providing shade and amenity, protecting dunes, supporting wildlife habitat, improving resilience to coastal erosion and maintaining the natural landscape character of the coastline.

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The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) recognises that population growth in areas such as Hope Island is increasing demand on the transport network and highlights the importance of coordinating infrastructure investment with growth. The strategy identifies the need for timely and targeted infrastructure delivery, including transport upgrades, to support growing communities and improve connectivity.

The duplication of the bridges connecting Hope Island and Jabiru Island is not a project determined through the LGMS. Infrastructure projects are prioritised through detailed transport planning, funding availability and partnership arrangements with relevant agencies – in this case the Department of Transport and Main Roads as Oxley Drive/Hope Island Road is a State controlled road.

The City is continuing to plan for growth by advocating for transport improvements and aligning infrastructure investment with areas experiencing population and housing growth, helping to better meet the needs of the community.

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The City understands that cost of living pressures are affecting many households, including families and seniors. The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) recognises the importance of providing accessible community infrastructure and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles through facilities such as parks, open spaces, recreation areas and community services.

While the LGMS does not set fees or pricing for aquatic centres, the City is committed to planning for a growing population by improving access to community infrastructure and recreational opportunities across the Gold Coast. Feedback such as this helps Council understand community priorities and informs future consideration of how facilities can best support health, wellbeing and community participation.

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The Local Growth Management Strategy (LGMS) supports better transport connections across the city by planning more homes near public transport and improving links between centres, neighbourhoods, light rail and rail stations. It also advocates for stronger public transport networks, including high-frequency transit corridors and improved bus connections, to make it easier for residents to access jobs, services and key destinations without relying on a car.

Bus service operations, including onboard stop announcements, are managed by the State Government and public transport operators. The City plays an active role in the delivery of bus stops and shelters in partnership with the State Government.

In relation to bus shelters, the City and State Government do not have plans to roll out shelters at all bus stops on the Gold Coast as these facilities are typically only provided: 

• in high demand passenger locations;
• at stops that have high frequency or multiple bus routes;
• in areas with wide road reserves; and
• in areas near high activity centres. 

The City will continue to work with State Government agencies to advocate for accessible and user-friendly public transport services.

The LGMS also promotes the infrastructure that improves active travel to catching a bus or light rail more comfortable. Future transport planning will consider measures that improve comfort and safety for public transport users, including protection from heat and weather at transport stops where feasible.