Projects: Community Needs Assessments

Social, Cultural and Community Services and Infrastructure Analysis for the towns of Blackwater and Moranbah:
Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA)

2011 Awards for Planning Excellence, Planning Institute of Australia QLD, Exceptional Planning Achievement Award (Overall)
Engaging in the Cauldron – Blackwater and Moranbah
Urban Land Development Authority & Plan C

2011 Awards for Planning Excellence, Planning Institute of Australia QLD Public Engagement and Community Planning Award
Social, Cultural and Community Infrastructure Analysis for Blackwater and Moranbah
As part of ‘Engaging in the Cauldron’: Community Engagement in Blackwater and Moranbah, ULDA and Plan C

Plan C consulted with a range of stakeholders in both towns including private and public service providers, government agencies and the resources sector as well as performing a review of available social planning and cultural and community services as well as facility related reports and research. Plan C also conducted an analysis of current gaps and potential future needs based on projected population growth and service and facility provision models and benchmarking.

The outcome of the study was a comprehensive baseline report of existing services and facilities in each town. In addition to a robust analysis of potential gaps and future needs of each community, based on existing and future population estimates, consideration of demand and need differences between the different sectors of the communities, existing gaps in provision and guidance on the next steps to respond to the identified gaps. 

Planning for social, cultural and community infrastructure and service provision is a complex exercise. Some of the considerations and challenges associated with this process for Moranbah and Blackwater included:

• Community profile, context, existing issues, history and capacity.
• Identified community needs and community perceptions.
• Challenges associated with the distinction between permanent residents and non-resident worker communities.
• Established methods and changing ideologies for determining social infrastructure requirements.
• Current and future challenges in providing social infrastructure and services specific to a mining community.
• Scope and type of community investments from mining and resource companies.
• Government planning, resourcing and capacity.