Council adopts Community Benefit System Policy around renewable energy

Published on 22 July 2026

Council has adopted a new policy to help ensure renewable energy developments deliver lasting benefits for local communities while appropriately managing social impacts across the region.

The Renewable Energy: Community Benefit System Policy responds to the Queensland Government's new Community Benefit System reforms, which require major renewable energy projects to undertake a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and negotiate a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) before lodging a development application.

Mayor Greg Williamson explained that a Community Benefit Agreement was a deal that ensured a community received tangible benefits from a project being built in their area, rather than only the developer benefiting from it.

“While the power of approval or rejection for major renewable energy projects now sits with the State Government, council still have a part to play in making sure residents in impacted areas see benefits that are relevant to them,” he said.

"Council's focus is ensuring these projects leave a positive legacy through meaningful community investment, while also identifying and managing the social impacts that can come with large-scale development.

“An example might be funding to upgrade a local park or sporting field, or yearly funds to support local not-for-profits like men’s sheds, P&Cs and sporting clubs.”

Mayor Greg Williamson said the policy provided a clear and transparent framework that would help council represent community interests as renewable energy investment continued to grow across Queensland.

Under the State's reforms, applicable renewable energy developments, such as wind farms, solar farms and battery energy storage systems, must engage with local government and communities early in the planning process.

The policy also places a strong emphasis on identifying, managing and mitigating social impacts associated with renewable energy development, including potential pressures on housing, infrastructure, local services, emergency management and community wellbeing.

"Good outcomes require more than one-off commitments," Mayor Williamson said.

"We want proponents to work closely with council and local communities to understand potential project impacts early on and remain accountable throughout the life of a project."

"Ultimately, this policy is about ensuring renewable energy developments contribute to more than the energy transition.

“It's about creating lasting community value and delivering benefits that will strengthen our region for generations to come."

Mayor Williamson said Community Benefit Agreements were not intended to influence the assessment of future development applications, but instead formed part of the State's new requirements prior to an application being lodged.

The community rightly expects transparency around how benefits are negotiated, delivered and reported and this framework helps provide that confidence," he said.

For more information on council's Renewable Energy: Community Benefit System Policy, visit council's website.