General News
12 January, 2026
Council approves draft Planning Scheme
On 22 December 2025 Southern Downs Regional Council endorsed the finalised draft Planning Scheme that balances the need for housing, urban development and economic growth, while safeguarding valuable agricultural land.
The endorsed draft will now be submitted to the Queensland Government for approval to adopt.
For three months last year Council hosted information sessions, engaged in more than 1,000 individual conversations and received 285 submissions.
Southern Downs Mayor Melissa Hamilton said that the community has helped shape the draft scheme and build the foundation for a stronger, more liveable and vibrant Southern Downs.
“Our community’s feedback has been invaluable in shaping the draft scheme which will drive future land use and development across the Southern Downs,” Mayor Hamilton said.
“As well as several changes to the zonings that were presented during engagement, the Heritage overlay proposed in the original draft from 2021 will not apply to adjoining properties.
“The Southern Downs is growing faster than the Queensland average, and this scheme ensures we’re ready to meet that demand with more housing choices, greater opportunities for subdivision and new industrial land to support jobs in towns like Killarney and Allora.
“At the same time, it reinforces protections for agriculture and intensive animal industries, because farming remains the backbone of our economy and identity.”
Major changes in the draft Planning Scheme include:
Support for housing
- Secondary dwellings (or granny flats) will generally no longer need planning approval where they are less than 120m2. This applies to all residential and rural zones to enable more homes to be built in our region with less red tape.
- Reducing minimum lot sizes in both Low density and Medium density residential areas.
- Expanding the ability to subdivide land across our towns and villages.
Support for our Rural property owners
- Increasing the intensive animal industry thresholds to support rural production.
- Allowing nature-based tourism to establish in Rural zoned areas.
- A commitment to a Rural Land Strategy.
Support for businesses
- Making it easier to change tenancy types in our CBDs without having to lodge an application.
- Expanding where food and drink outlets can be established to a broader Tourist Use such as orchards, wineries, microbreweries, tourist parks and paddock to plate farms.
- Updates to home-based businesses to be more contemporary, including allowing a non-resident employee and increasing the number of clients.
With all submissions now reviewed, Council will send personalised written responses to all submitters outlining how their feedback was considered and whether it resulted in any changes to the final draft.
Council now awaits approval from the Queensland Government before adopting the new scheme in 2026.
