Planning Institute of Australia 27 March Strategic cropping land. Peter Burton. General Manager Land Management and Use DERM

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1 Planning Institute of Australia 27 March 2012 Strategic cropping land Peter Burton General Manager Land Management and Use DERM

2 Milestones of the Strategic Cropping Land Act 2011 Passed on 1 December 2011 Assented on 6 December 2011 Commenced on 30 January 2012

3 Background The state s SCL resources are subject to a range of competing landuse activities, including agricultural, mining and urban development. The framework includes: The Strategic Cropping Land Act 2011 The Strategic Cropping Land Regulation 2011 State Planning Policy under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 It strikes a balance between these sectors and protects SCL from developments that lead to permanent diminished productivity

4 Policy drivers Public concern over land-use conflict has increased markedly in recent years, with the rapid expansion of exploration for resources, such as coal, coal seam gas and liquefied natural gas. Area of Queensland covered by various forms of authorities to explore for resource sector developments including coal, mineral, gas and petroleum: million hectares of Queensland had granted exploration tenures, or 34 per cent of the state million hectares of Queensland had granted exploration tenures, or 43.3 per cent of the state. In 2011, there was a further 50.6 million hectares of Queensland subject to exploration applications. This equates in total to 123 million hectares, or 70 per cent of the state, which currently either have a granted exploration tenure or application for granted tenure for exploration.

5 Policy drivers Support communities Agricultural land resources are important to Queensland as they support regional communities and provide a resource base for food and fibre production. Ensure a balance for competing land-use. Respond to strong public demand for government action.

6 Purposes of the Act Protect land that is highly suitable for cropping Manage the impacts of development on that land Preserve the productive capacity of that land for future generations Achieved through: Mapping of Potential SCL and Validation of SCL Protection and Management areas Managing impacts through preventing, assessing and conditioning developments Exceptional circumstances in Protection Areas Mitigation of permanent impacts

7 Coal mine adjoining prime cropping land near Macalister on the Darling Downs

8 Commercial development in the middle of cropping land near Dalby

9 A coal exploration permit over Emerald, which covers a lot of SCL

10 Boundary of a mineral development licence over the Haystack Road area of the Darling Downs plains

11 SCL Act Development and Consultation from about GQAL review February 2010 discussion paper released for public consultation February March 2010 community information sessions 23 August 2010 Protecting Queensland s strategic cropping land: A policy framework released for public consultation August September 2010 the policy framework was presented a nine community forums on coal seam gas 14 April the proposed criteria for identifying SCL, a technical report and independent expert review report released 31 May 2011 Government announced implementation of the SCL Policy through Protection and Management Areas and releases transitional arrangements for resource development projects and a Regulatory Assessment Statement 5 August draft State Planning Policy released for public consultation

12 SCL Act Development and Consultation (cont) 24 August announcement of Science and Technical Implementation Committee 8 September guidelines for applying the proposed SCL criteria and an online mapping tool were released. 27 September 2011 Government announces legislation to be introduced in late October 2011 and further information on mitigation arrangements 25 October the Strategic Cropping Land Bill 2011 was introduced into Parliament. 1 December the Bill was passed by Parliament. 30 January 2012 the Act commenced

13 SCL Act Development and Consultation (cont) Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) Established in early 2010 to help further develop the policy. The committee includes representatives from the agricultural, resource and urban development sectors, as well as representatives from local government and natural resource management groups. Science and Technical Implementation Committee (STIC) Established December 2011 Soil science experts to advise on implementation of the soil criteria Will continue as the new SCL Act is implemented.

14 Mapping Zone Map There are 5 zones and each zone has individual thresholds for the 8 soil criteria. Trigger Map Shows areas of potential SCL Protection Area Two Strategic Cropping Protection Areas: one in Central Queensland one in Southern Queensland Cannot permanently impact SCL unless in exceptional circumstances Land needs to meet all 8 criteria to be validated as SCL. Management area. can mitigate permanent impacts if they can t be avoided and have been minimised In addition to meeting the criteria, land in the management area needs to also have a history of cropping to be validated as SCL

15 Zone Map where the Act applies

16 The SCL Trigger Map The trigger map covers 42 million hectares or about 24 per cent of the land area of the state, but the actual area mapped on the trigger map as potential SCL, and subject to on-ground assessment, is equivalent to 7.57 million hectares (4.36 per cent of the state). Potential SCL Strategic Cropping Management Area Management Areas cover a total of 37.2 million hectares Strategic Cropping Protection Areas Protection Areas cover a total of 4.78 million hectares

17 Protection Areas

18 Maps and data Maps available on DERM s website Property maps available for download from DERM s website free of charge Spatial data available for download from Queensland Government Information Service free of charge SCL mapping on DEEDI s website - Interactive Resource Tenure Mapping

19 Department s/ Minister s role in in administration and decision making Administering the Strategic Cropping Act 2011 Identification of SCL - Mapping used to identifying SCL Trigger Maps Zone map Protection area map Management area Validating whether land is SCL or not Validation applications Assessment of the resource activities under the Strategic Cropping Land Act 2011

20 Departments role in assessing and deciding SCL (cont) Assessment of developments that require development approval under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA). Development triggered under a local government planning scheme and is either a: Material change of use; or Reconfiguration of a lot Concurrence agency role for DERM MCU and RaL Development assessment under State Planning Policy (SPP) SPP 1/12 to be considered/reflected in planning schemes and regional plans. Projects in Protection areas to be approved only in exceptional circumstances Mitigation arrangement (administrative arrangement with DEEDI) Appeals against decisions (Planning and Environment Court or Land Court) Transitional project arrangements for resources projects Strategic Cropping Land Science and Technical Implementation Committee (STIC)

21 Additional information Available on DERM s website: The SCL legislation can be accessed on the Qld legislation website: