General News
29 November, 2025
Plan gives councils certainty
THE Far North is the first to get a new regional draft plan which will help councils handle massive population and tourism growth.
Queensland’s Deputy Premier and State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie visited the region to outline the regional plan for 2025, involving Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon and State Member for Cook David Kempton.
The Draft Far North Queensland Regional Plan has been developed in partnership with eight local councils and aims to deliver 48,485 new homes by 2046, about 1940 homes a year and is designed to guide housing, infrastructure and job growth where they’re most needed.
With the Far North’s population expected to reach around 380,000 by 2046, Deputy Premier Bleijie said the government was “bringing local voices back into planning, giving councils a real say”. The plan includes a supporting infrastructure plan, a first for regional planning in Queensland. Priorities include boosting housing supply, supporting key industries, strengthening tourism and driving economic development.
“It is great to see that the deputy premier hasn’t forgotten us in North Queensland,” Mr Kempton said.
“In fact, the first of the 13 new draft plans is for Far North Queensland,” he said.
“With our population set to hit 380,000 by 2046, the draft FNQ Regional plan has been welcomed by councils, planners and developers.
“We will have a massive population growth in the North between now and 2046 of over 100,000 people and we require 50,000 new houses.
“To allow councils to put in their planning instruments we need an underlying regional plan which hasn’t been updated since 2009.
“So, in collaboration with councils, the department and deputy premier have developed a draft regional plan which has been signed off by eight councils across our region.
“This puts in place a process whereby they can draw up their own local planning instruments in accordance with the needs of the region, but more importantly its underpinned with an infrastructure plan, affecting connectivity with roads and other infrastructure.”
Mr Kempton believes this is the most ambitious program of regional planning Queensland had ever seen and provides certainty for councils, developer and locals for decades to come.
Read More: Douglas Shire
