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The identification of Priority Living Areas (PLAs) is intended to provide greater certainty for investment in the development of the region’s urban centres and localities, while still accommodating compatible resource activities to maximise economic development opportunities. PLAs are intended to ensure that the growth potential of these towns, as provided for through a local government planning scheme, are protected from the encroachment of incompatible resource activities. A PLA includes the settlement area (urban residential, business township and mixed use zones and areas for future urban growth), rural residential areas associated with the settlement area, and a two kilometre buffer area around the settlement area. The settlement areas within a PLA include land identified by local governments for long-term urban expansion. However, because not all local governments have comprehensively considered their town growth requirements, and because the growth scenario for a town can change, the boundaries of the PLA shown in Schedule 1 may need to be amended over time. PLAs are proposed to replace existing restricted areas (urban), as gazetted under the Mineral Resources Act 1989in 2011, with the exception of the Toowoomba area within the South East Queensland (SEQ) region. The areas within the SEQ region will be reconsidered as part of the review of the SEQ Regional Plan. The PLAs are prescribed within the Regional Planning Interests Regulation 2014 or within a Regional Plan, |