Centre and Mixed Use Zones

The purpose of this information sheet is to explain the intent of the centre and mixed use zones within the Townsville City Plan.

Zones designate land for a particular use (for example: residential, industrial, or rural). All properties within Townsville are included in a zone. Precincts may be identified for part of a zone. A precinct provides further detail for a specific area within a zone.

A planning scheme (referred to as Townsville City Plan) is a legal document that guides and regulates the development of land. The Townsville City Plan is made up of two key elements: a written component and maps.

Purpose of Centre and Mixed Use Zones

The Townsville City Plan provides for a variety of activity centres to meet the needs of our growing community. The Townsville City Plan includes centre and mixed use zones, which outline the hierarchy of activity centres. The Townsville City Plan adopts a hierarchy of activity centres to ensure optimum access to employment, services and facilities across the city (including public transport services), and to support the efficient provision of infrastructure and to optimise public investment.

The Townsville City Plan provides for a mix of uses across 7 centre zones, which align to the defined hierarchy of activity centres for Townsville. The 7 centres and mixed use zones are:

  • Principal centre (CBD) zone
  • Major centre zone
  • District centre zone
  • Local centre zone
  • Neighbourhood centre zone
  • Specialised centre zone
  • Mixed use centre zone.

Within each centre zone there are also a number of precincts. The precincts provide for specific development outcomes.

Other Information of Interest to the Centre and Mixed Zone

The Development Codes and Overlays pages provide information about other aspects of the centre and mixed use zones.

Development Codes

Part 9 of the Townsville City Plan contains the development codes. This series of codes manages engineering design and construction standards, including servicing, subdivision, car parking, access, landscaping and signage. Uses in the Character residential zone will need to consider some of these codes when undertaking development.

Overlays

Overlays that affect a lot will need consideration in conjunction with the Character residential zone code. Development will need to respond to the overlays ensuring the appropriate design outcomes are achieved whilst complying with the objectives and purpose of the zone code. In some cases, overlays will determine the overall development outcomes in response to the nature of the overlay, for example, to avoid the impacts of flooding.

Centres and Mixed Use Zones Overview

The Townsville City Plan has used the Planning Regulation 2017 requirements for zones (including names and colours). Use definitions are represented in the Townsville City Plan in Schedule 1. The following table identifies the overall intent of the Townsville City Plan centre and mixed use zones and intended development.

Purpose

  • The principal centre (CBD) is the primary location for business, government and administration uses.
  • It also contains the highest order activities and facilities of the city including retail, commercial, cultural, civic, sporting, and recreational uses.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • bar
  • community use
  • educational establishment
  • food and drink outlet
  • healthcare services
  • indoor sport and recreation
  • multiple dwelling
  • nightclub entertainment facility
  • office
  • service industry
  • service station
  • shop
  • shopping centre
  • short-term accommodation
  • showroom
  • theatre.

Purpose

  • Operate as major multifunctional community hubs.
  • Contain the second highest order of community, retail and office-based functions after the principal centre (CBD), including subregional level services such as theatres, major libraries and community centres and health and educational facilities.
  • Examples of these centres include Aitkenvale, Burdell (North Shore), Hyde Park and Thuringowa Central.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • bar
  • community use
  • educational establishment
  • food and drink outlet
  • healthcare services
  • indoor sport and recreation
  • multiple dwelling
  • office
  • service industry
  • service station
  • shop
  • shopping centre
  • showroom.

Purpose

  • Provide a community focus for weekly or fortnightly shopping trips and a range of services, and include Idalia, Deeragun, Rasmussen, Annandale and a future centre at Shaw (Greater Ascot).
  • Retail functions are anchored by major supermarkets with a wide range of speciality shops. However, these centres operate as multifunctional community hubs.
  • Contain a range of district level personal and community services such as community centres and health and fitness facilities.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • community use
  • health care services
  • indoor sport and recreation
  • multiple dwelling
  • office
  • service industry
  • service station
  • shop
  • shopping centre
  • showroom.

Purpose

  • Provide a range of retail, commercial and community activities that are focused on grocery shopping and local service needs of their surrounding catchments.
  • They may include a single full-line supermarket and a small range of specialty shops, food and drink outlets, personal services and local offices.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • childcare centre
  • community use
  • dwelling unit
  • food and drink outlet
  • healthcare services
  • office
  • shop
  • shopping centre.

Purpose

  • Contain a generally limited range of retail, commercial and community-related activities which are focused on meeting the basic, day to-day convenience needs of a surrounding neighbourhood within a walkable catchment.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • childcare centre
  • community use
  • dwelling unit
  • food and drink outlet
  • healthcare services
  • office
  • shop
  • shopping centre.

Purpose

  • Accommodates large public, commercial or institutional facilities which are significant to the economic and social well-being of Townsville.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • Consistent with specialised centre.

Purpose

  • Accommodates small to medium-sized pockets and corridors of mixed use development throughout Townsville, which are generally close to centres, significant entry points and providing an interface between residential, commercial, retail or industrial uses.

Examples of Intended Development:

  • food and drink outlet
  • indoor sport and recreation
  • low impact industry
  • office
  • service industry
  • shop
  • shopping centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Townsville City Plan support the right type of development in centre and mixed use zones?

In centre and mixed use zones, supported uses are accepted development subject to requirements if within an existing building and not involving more than minor building work. There are also no floor area thresholds for the principal centre.

What are the benefits of locating a high diversity of land uses in a compact centre?

  • provides a strong basis for economic growth
  • more efficient concentration of goods and services
  • supports vibrancy, community life and health
  • increases opportunities for social interaction
  • more efficient use of infrastructure
  • a basis for improved public transport and walkability.

Nature of Centres

A broad range of uses are encouraged at activity centres to support vibrancy, community life and health and economic development.

Day and night-time activity is expected in Townsville’s larger, higher level activity centres: CBD, Aitkenvale, Thuringowa Central, Hyde Park and future centres at Julago (Elliot Springs and Burdell (North Shore).

Residential development is also promoted in activity centres in a form and density appropriate to the scale of the centre.

An activity centre contains a mix of uses and is multifunctional. While the dominant building in activity centres is often a shopping centre, a shopping centre alone does not make an activity centre.