The City of Gold Coast’s City Planning team has received a commendation at the recent Planning Institute of Australia (Queensland) Awards for Planning Excellence, recognising its innovative use of technology and data to support better planning outcomes.
The commendation, awarded in the Technology and Digital Innovation category, acknowledged the City’s work on the Robina Central Planning Review, which used artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse large volumes of community consultation data.
Formally presenting the award at Full Council yesterday alongside Mayor, Tom Tate and Council CEO, Tim Baker, Planning Chair and Deputy Mayor, Mark Hammel said the award highlighted how smart technology could improve both the quality and efficiency of city planning processes.
“This project demonstrated how AI and machine learning can be used to support better planning outcomes by analysing more than 1000 pieces of community feedback in under five hours – a task that would traditionally take weeks,” said Cr Hammel.
“The technology also delivered clearer visuals and stronger demographic insights, enabling better decision-making that will ultimately benefit Robina residents and Gold Coasters across the city as we work with the community on what the future of Robina looks like.”
Cr Hammel said it was important to emphasise that technology was being used to support, not replace, professional planners.
“AI doesn’t replace the work of our planners – it augments it. It allows highly skilled professionals to work more efficiently, focus on what matters most, and ultimately deliver better planning outcomes, faster processes and better value for ratepayers,” he said.
Cr Hammel said the recognition was particularly relevant as the City continued work on its new planning scheme.
The Council is currently preparing a new planning scheme to replace its current City Plan – providing Council a roadmap for continuing to plan and deliver for the rapidly growing city over the next 20 years.
“This is exactly the kind of innovation we want to see as we develop the city’s new planning scheme – using smart tools to support smart planning, not shortcut it, while delivering certainty for residents and industry alike,” said Cr Hammel.
“This commendation reflects the collaboration, innovation and commitment of our City Planning team, and their focus on planning a great future for the Gold Coast.
“As we move towards 2046, the new planning scheme will help our city plan for almost 400,000 more residents, a diversity of more than 185,000 additional dwellings across the city, and over 170,000 more jobs.”
