Understanding how infrastructure priorities shape urban development, public investment, essential services and long-term community growth.
Infrastructure is central to how cities function, economies expand, and communities access essential services. Roads, public transport networks, water systems, drainage facilities and public spaces all require careful planning before new developments can operate effectively. A Priority Infrastructure Plan provides a structured approach to identifying infrastructure needs and coordinating improvements with expected growth.
The term has particular historical significance in Queensland, Australia, where Priority Infrastructure Plans (PIPs) were replaced by Local Government Infrastructure Plans (LGIPs) under reforms introduced in 2014. Contemporary infrastructure planning still uses many of the same fundamental principles.
This article explains the Priority Infrastructure Plan concept, its development, planning requirements, funding arrangements, and practical impact on communities. It also examines Australia’s current national infrastructure priorities and the distinction between local planning documents and broader investment strategies.
What Is a Priority Infrastructure Plan?
A Priority Infrastructure Plan is a planning framework that coordinates essential infrastructure provision with future development.
In Queensland’s historical planning system, PIPs formed part of local planning schemes and helped councils identify the infrastructure required to accommodate urban growth.
The approach linked population forecasts, expected land development and infrastructure requirements. Rather than responding to individual developments without an overall strategy, councils could identify shared networks and plan how those networks would expand.
Today, Queensland uses LGIPs for this Purpose. These plans identify local trunk infrastructure, meaning significant shared infrastructure serving larger areas rather than individual properties.
A Priority Infrastructure Plan should not be confused with Australia’s national Infrastructure Priority List. The former refers to a local infrastructure planning framework, while the latter identifies nationally significant investment proposals.
History and Development of Priority Infrastructure Plans
The Original Planning Framework
Queensland developed Priority Infrastructure Plans to connect development decisions with the delivery of essential services.
The plans provided a basis for identifying infrastructure demand, determining future network requirements and coordinating public investment with land-use planning.
This framework recognized a practical problem: urban development can place additional demand on existing roads, drainage systems, water supplies and public facilities.
Without coordinated planning, development may occur before adequate infrastructure is available, creating additional costs and service pressures.
The Transition From PIP to LGIP
Queensland introduced infrastructure planning and charging reforms in July 2014.
An important part of those reforms was replacing the name Priority Infrastructure Plan with Local Government Infrastructure Plan.
The change reflected a wider effort to improve the relationship between infrastructure planning, development approvals and infrastructure charging.
Townsville City Council confirms that the state government’s revised arrangements replaced the former PIP framework with the LGIP framework.
Consequently, readers examining contemporary Queensland planning documents should generally look for LGIPs rather than assuming a historical PIP remains the current instrument.
Key Objectives of a Priority Infrastructure Plan
Coordinating Development and Essential Services
One central purpose of infrastructure planning is to establish where services will be required as communities grow.
For example, new residential development can increase demand for roads, wastewater treatment, drainage systems and public open spaces.
A coordinated infrastructure framework allows councils to consider those demands alongside future development patterns.
The goal is not simply to build additional facilities. It is to ensure that infrastructure can support anticipated development at appropriate service standards.
Improving Investment Decisions
Infrastructure projects can involve substantial construction, maintenance and operating costs.
A formal planning framework helps authorities assess the location, timing and scale of necessary improvements.
Queensland’s planning guidance identifies financial planning, efficient delivery and transparency as important functions of LGIPs.
When infrastructure requirements are documented, councils can use them to inform long-term capital expenditure and asset management.
Supporting Predictable Urban Growth
Infrastructure planning can also provide greater clarity for property developers and communities.
Mapping planned networks helps identify where infrastructure capacity exists and where additional investment may be necessary.
This does not guarantee approval for every proposed development.
Development applications remain subject to the relevant planning rules, infrastructure requirements and assessment processes.
Essential Infrastructure Networks Covered by the Plan
Queensland’s LGIP framework recognizes five categories of local trunk infrastructure.
Transport Infrastructure
Transport infrastructure includes key road connections and other network components that support travel and movement.
Depending on the applicable plan, this can involve roads, pedestrian routes, cycling infrastructure and related transport facilities.
Planning must consider how growth affects existing transport capacity and where network improvements may be required.
Water Supply and Sewerage
Water and wastewater networks are fundamental to urban development.
Infrastructure planning addresses the capacity required to support projected residential, commercial and industrial demand.
Water reservoirs, pumping facilities and wastewater infrastructure can form part of broader network planning.
In parts of South East Queensland, designated water service providers also prepare separate water network plans.
Stormwater Infrastructure
Stormwater infrastructure manages runoff from rainfall and developed land.
Planning drainage infrastructure is essential when land-use changes increase paved surfaces and alter runoff patterns.
The required infrastructure depends on local drainage conditions, existing networks, and development forecasts.
Parks and Community Facilities
Queensland’s local planning framework recognizes public parks, recreation areas, and land for community facilities as infrastructure categories.
As residential areas expand, planning for accessible public spaces becomes part of accommodating population growth.
These networks contribute to the broader function and liveability of developing communities.
How Infrastructure Priorities Are Determined
Population and Employment Forecasts
Infrastructure priorities begin with understanding expected development.
Local planning commonly uses population projections, employment expectations, and anticipated land-use changes to estimate future demand.
These forecasts provide a basis for assessing how much additional infrastructure capacity may be necessary.
However, forecasts are planning assumptions, not guarantees about future population or construction activity.
Infrastructure Capacity and Service Standards
Authorities must also consider whether existing networks can accommodate additional demand.
A road corridor, drainage network or wastewater facility may require expansion when projected development exceeds available capacity.
Queensland LGIPs document desired service standards, which help establish the infrastructure performance and design requirements relevant to planned growth.
Priority Infrastructure Areas
A Priority Infrastructure Area (PIA) is a defined part of Queensland’s local infrastructure planning framework.
It identifies urban areas prioritized for trunk infrastructure provision to support approximately 10 to 15 years of growth.
The PIA should not be confused with the PIP itself.
The former is a designated geographic area, while the latter is the historical name of a planning instrument.
Development outside a PIA is not automatically prohibited, although it may trigger additional infrastructure requirements or costs.
Planning, Funding and Infrastructure Charges
Infrastructure planning and infrastructure funding are closely related, but they are not identical.
An LGIP identifies shared infrastructure requirements and supports decisions about development-related infrastructure conditions.
Queensland’s infrastructure charging framework allows eligible local governments to levy charges and impose certain conditions associated with trunk infrastructure.
The state government sets prescribed charge limits through the Planning Regulation 2017, subject to applicable indexation provisions.
Infrastructure projects can also be supported through government capital works programs and other approved funding arrangements.
However, identification in an infrastructure plan does not automatically mean that a project has received all funding or construction approvals.
This distinction matters when reviewing planned upgrades. A proposed project may still require detailed design, budgeting, consultation and further approval processes.
The Role of Local Governments and Public Accountability
Local councils play a central role in preparing and maintaining Queensland’s LGIPs.
Plans are incorporated into local planning schemes and are subject to applicable state planning processes.
Queensland requires LGIPs to be reviewed every five years. Amendments may also be made through established procedures.
Accountability extends beyond preparing the plan.
The Queensland Government states that local governments with LGIPs must maintain infrastructure charges registers and update their online registers monthly.
Reporting on delivered trunk infrastructure also provides information about the contribution of councils and developers.
These requirements help distinguish planned infrastructure from actual delivery and allow the public to examine aspects of infrastructure charging.
Community and Economic Benefits
Better Coordination of Public Services
Coordinated infrastructure planning can support more orderly development.
Identifying where significant infrastructure is needed helps councils avoid treating each development as an isolated project.
This is particularly relevant where several residential or commercial developments depend on the same transport, drainage or service networks.
Supporting Housing and Economic Activity
Infrastructure capacity is closely linked to urban areas’ ability to accommodate new housing and commercial activity.
Transport connections, wastewater services and water security can influence development opportunities.
Infrastructure Australia explicitly recognizes the link between transport investment, growing cities, and housing delivery.
Nevertheless, infrastructure spending alone does not guarantee economic growth. Outcomes depend on project selection, delivery, costs and whether completed infrastructure meets actual needs.
Environmental Sustainability and Resilience
Modern infrastructure planning increasingly considers environmental performance and long-term resilience.
Stormwater management, reliable water systems, sustainable transport and infrastructure capable of responding to changing conditions are important planning considerations.
At a national level, Infrastructure Australia’s 2026 Infrastructure Priority List includes secure, sustainable water systems and projects supporting the transition to net-zero emissions.
Its priorities also address renewable energy transmission, energy storage and more efficient transport networks.
These national investment priorities are broader than the five trunk infrastructure networks typically addressed through Queensland’s LGIP framework.
The distinction illustrates how infrastructure planning operates at different levels, from local service delivery to national economic and environmental objectives.
Priority Infrastructure Planning in 2026
Brisbane’s Local Government Infrastructure Plan
Brisbane City Council’s current LGIP took effect on June 27, 2025.
It identifies future trunk transport, stormwater, parks and land for community facilities needed to support existing and projected growth through June 30, 2036.
The plan forms part of Brisbane City Plan 2014.
Brisbane’s example demonstrates how infrastructure planning connects long-term development expectations with identified shared-network requirements.
Gold Coast Infrastructure Planning Update
The City of Gold Coast introduced an interim LGIP amendment on September 29, 2026, as part of City Plan Version 14.
The amendment updated development assumptions, infrastructure demand projections, planned trunk infrastructure and financial forecasting.
It also established an updated planning horizon covering 2024 to 2041.
This provides a current example of how infrastructure plans are revised as growth forecasts and service requirements change.
Australia’s 2026 Infrastructure Priority List
At the national level, Infrastructure Australia published its 2026 Infrastructure Priority List on March 11, 2026.
The list contains 68 proposals and provides independent advice about nationally significant infrastructure priorities over the coming decade.
Its five broad investment themes are:
- High-productivity freight networks
- Ports capacity and connectivity
- High-capacity transport for growing cities
- Secure, sustainable water for growth
- Delivering net zero and a clean energy economy
The national list is advisory. Its inclusion of a proposal should not be interpreted as an unconditional commitment to finance or complete construction.
Challenges in Infrastructure Planning
Forecasting Future Demand
Infrastructure may need to serve communities for decades, while population patterns and development demand can change.
This creates uncertainty when deciding how much capacity to provide and when construction should occur.
Regular review allows planning assumptions to be reassessed against updated information.
Managing Costs and Delivery
Identifying a project is only one stage of infrastructure development.
Implementation may involve land acquisition, engineering investigations, procurement, construction scheduling and funding decisions.
Costs and project timing must therefore be examined separately from identifying infrastructure needs.
Balancing Competing Community Needs
Infrastructure investment involves choices about limited resources.
Communities may have different expectations regarding transport improvements, parks, utility services and new development.
Transparent assessment and consultation can help decision-makers explain these trade-offs.
A credible infrastructure strategy should distinguish demonstrated service needs from aspirations that have not yet been fully assessed.
Future Outlook for Priority Infrastructure Planning
The long-term relevance of infrastructure prioritization is unlikely to disappear simply because planning terminology changes.
Queensland’s transition from PIPs to LGIPs shows how established planning principles can continue within a revised regulatory framework.
Current plans still rely on infrastructure demand forecasts, service standards, mapped networks and coordinated capital planning.
National investment priorities likewise show continued attention to transport productivity, water security, growing urban populations and energy infrastructure.
The practical challenge for governments is maintaining a clear connection between identified needs, available funding and completed projects.
Future planning decisions will be best understood by examining updated official documents, infrastructure schedules and recorded delivery outcomes rather than relying on project announcements alone.
Conclusion
A Priority Infrastructure Plan represents an important approach to coordinating urban development with essential public infrastructure.
In Queensland, the historical PIP framework has been replaced by Local Government Infrastructure Plans, which continue to guide the identification and provision of shared infrastructure.
These plans connect growth projections with transport systems, drainage, utility networks and community facilities while helping authorities assess costs and development requirements.
Recent examples from Brisbane and the Gold Coast demonstrate how this planning continues to evolve.
Australia’s 2026 Infrastructure Priority List also highlights the wider significance of prioritizing investment across transport, water, ports and energy.
Ultimately, the value of infrastructure planning depends on whether priorities are supported by reliable evidence, realistic financing, transparent decision-making and effective delivery. Good planning establishes a foundation; completed, functioning infrastructure determines the benefit communities actually receive.
(FAQs)
1. What is a Priority Infrastructure Plan?
A Priority Infrastructure Plan is a historical Queensland planning framework used to coordinate essential infrastructure provision with expected urban development.
2. Is the Priority Infrastructure Plan still used in Queensland?
Queensland replaced the PIP framework with the Local Government Infrastructure Plan framework under reforms introduced in 2014.
3. What is the main Purpose of an infrastructure plan?
Its Purpose is to identify shared infrastructure needed for planned development and coordinate service provision, network expansion and related investment decisions.
4. What types of infrastructure are included?
Queensland LGIPs can cover transport, water supply, sewerage, stormwater, public parks and land for community facilities.
5. What is a Priority Infrastructure Area?
A Priority Infrastructure Area identifies urban areas prioritized for trunk infrastructure provision, generally to accommodate 10 to 15 years of growth.
6. Who prepares Local Government Infrastructure Plans?
Queensland local governments prepare LGIPs under the state’s applicable planning framework and oversight arrangements.
7. Does inclusion in an infrastructure plan guarantee government funding?
No. A planned infrastructure item may still require funding decisions, detailed design and other approvals before delivery.
8. What is Australia’s latest national Infrastructure Priority List?
Infrastructure Australia’s list, published on March 11, 2026, identifies 68 nationally significant infrastructure proposals across five investment themes for consideration over the next decade.
