From future growth area to PDA
Southern Thornlands planning timeline
Follow the major planning, development and infrastructure milestones that led from the area's identification as a potential future growth area to the current Southern Thornlands Priority Development Area.
This is a curated timeline of the major turning points — not every application, meeting or planning document.
Major milestones
How planning reached this point
The events below are arranged chronologically. Planning, development and infrastructure milestones are labelled separately so it is easier to see how the different parts of the story fit together.
Southern Thornlands identified as a Potential Future Growth Area
ShapingSEQ 2017 identified Southern Thornlands as a Potential Future Growth Area outside the Urban Footprint. It began a formal investigation pathway, but did not approve urban development or rezone the land for a specific development outcome.
Why it mattered: This was the first major step in the modern Southern Thornlands planning story.
Official sourceShapingSEQ 2023 moves Southern Thornlands into the Urban Footprint
The final ShapingSEQ 2023 moved Southern Thornlands into the Urban Footprint and identified it as a Category 1 SEQ development area. Detailed land-use and infrastructure planning was still required before orderly urban development could proceed.
Why it mattered: The change established the regional-planning basis for the State to move toward a dedicated Southern Thornlands planning framework.
Official sourceSouthern Thornlands declared a Priority Development Area
The Queensland Government formally declared the Southern Thornlands PDA and brought an Interim Land Use Plan into effect while the full Development Scheme was prepared.
Why it mattered: Planning and development assessment for the PDA shifted to the Minister for Economic Development Queensland and Economic Development Queensland.
Official sourceCouncil withdraws its superseded Southern Thornlands planning amendment
Redland City Council resolved not to proceed with its earlier Southern Thornlands planning-scheme amendment after the State became the planning authority for the new PDA.
Why it mattered: The withdrawal closed the parallel Council-led amendment pathway; it did not cancel or delay the PDA.
Official sourceFirst Southern Thornlands PDA application becomes properly made
EDQ recorded DEV2025/1656, the Precinct 1 Land Use Plan application, as properly made. The application sought a PDA preliminary approval for the broad land-use distribution and structural planning of the early-release area.
Why it mattered: It was the first significant Southern Thornlands PDA development application to enter the formal assessment process.
Official sourcePublic notification opens for the first PDA development application
Public notification opened for DEV2025/1656, giving the community an opportunity to inspect the Precinct 1 proposal and make submissions until 3 October 2025.
Why it mattered: This was the first Southern Thornlands PDA development application to reach the public-notification stage.
Official sourcePrecinct 1 preliminary approval granted
The Minister for Economic Development Queensland approved DEV2025/1656, establishing the preliminary Precinct 1 Land Use Plan subject to PDA development conditions.
Why it mattered: The approval established the broad planning structure for Precinct 1, but did not grant detailed subdivision, operational-works or building approvals.
Official sourceGovernments commit $544 million for Southern Thornlands infrastructure
Economic Development Queensland says the Queensland and Australian Governments committed $544 million in catalyst infrastructure funding for Southern Thornlands through the Infrastructure Activation Fund.
Why it mattered: The commitment is a major enabling step for roads, sewerage, parks, water, stormwater and other infrastructure, although individual project scopes and delivery dates still require later decisions.
Official sourceProposed Southern Thornlands Development Scheme released
Economic Development Queensland released the proposed Southern Thornlands PDA Development Scheme for public notification, opening submissions from 3 August to 15 September 2026.
Why it mattered: The proposed Scheme sets out the long-term planning framework for land use, development assessment and infrastructure delivery across the full PDA.
Official sourceOur estimate — not a government timetable
What might the next few years look like?
This forward-looking snapshot is our interpretation of how the Southern Thornlands PDA could unfold based on the current planning documents, indicative infrastructure schedules and development activity. It is not an official delivery program, and actual timing could change substantially.
Planning moves toward the next statutory stage
Public consultation is expected to finish, submissions can be considered and the proposed Development Scheme may move toward a final decision or further revision.
Early delivery could become more visible
Further development applications, early sewer works, local infrastructure and the first planned neighbourhood facilities could begin to turn parts of the PDA from planning into delivery.
Larger development stages may start to reshape the area
If approvals, servicing and infrastructure progress, more substantial residential development and supporting road connections could begin across parts of the Southern Thornlands PDA.
Broader neighbourhood and infrastructure rollout
The current planning documents point to a larger wave of roads, sewer, parks, centres, schools and other supporting infrastructure during this period as more land develops.
Later-stage growth and network completion
Later infrastructure items and remaining development areas could continue to be delivered as development continues across the Southern Thornlands PDA toward the broader urban area envisaged by the current plan.
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