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What Does a Private Town Planner Do?

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 04:47:46 GMT

As a town planner, it can be easy to forget that a great many people don’t wholly understand the role of a private (non-government employed) town planner. Town planners within local Councils and the Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning do, in a very broad sense, ‘design towns and cities’. So, if we aren't designing towns and cities, what does that leave for private town planners to do?

Planning Schemes - The How and Why

You may be surprised to learn that it’s not uncommon for people to think, “I own the land so now I can do what I want with it.” – and whilst it’s a completely understandable belief, development is far more complex than that.

Planning Schemes, the codes set out to classify what is and is not acceptable development on your property, are not entirely devised by your local Council. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to planning schemes and approvals:

The Planning Act 2016 – This is the Queensland legislation that directs all planning within the state and is supported by:

State Planning Policy (SPP)
State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP)
Queensland Planning Provisions (QPP)

Regional Plans – each region of Queensland (such Mackay, Isaac and Whitsundays Regional Plan or ShapingSEQ) has their own regional plan that sets out planning and growth expectations for the coming years, such as what is priority living area and priority agricultural area. These are guided by the Planning Act 2016 and are devised by State Government in collaboration with relevant local governments, communities and industry stakeholders to guide acceptable development in that region.

DA Rules – these rules are devised by the Minister for Planning, guided by the Planning Act 2015, that set the State standard for how development applications should be made and decided on.

Planning Schemes – these codes are created to meet the requirements of the DA Rules and ALL of the above legislative requirements and policies as well as the needs of the impacted local communities and the Council’s own ideals for growth and development within their local government area. Addressing these codes can become more complex when State legislative items supersede the date of the most recent Planning Scheme update.

What Does a Private Town Planner Do?

The development application required for your proposed development is more than a form or two – it’s a full report outlining what the development is, where it is proposed, and how it complies with the codes set out in the local planning scheme and, sometimes, the relevant State Planning Policy codes.

That’s where a private town planner comes into the picture! We take all that legislation, figure out what is relevant, analyse the specifics of your proposed development with regard to all relevant legislation, and then we let the Council know in detail exactly how your proposed development complies with the codes and the benefits of the development for the zone, community, and region.

On top of the legislative reporting, your private town planner:

Communicates with Government agencies on your behalf;
Completes all relevant forms;
Liaises with technical professionals for any designs and specialised management plans required;
Respond to action notices and information requests from Council;
Negotiate and appeal decisions and conditions;
Organise community notification, when required; and
Keep you updated and informed on the process and what it all means.

We Are Your One-Stop 'Get It Done' Shop

Planning Approval Group are ready and waiting to get your development approved. We do all kinds of development applications, including:

Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Agricultural
Intensive Animal Industry (Feedlots)
Subdivision
Major Project

Contact us today to discuss your town planning needs.

Want to know what your property is capable of? We have a 2-business-day turnaround on Development Potential Health Checks! Read more here .

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Queensland's New Community Benefit System: A Game-Changer for Renewable Energy Planning

Mail@wallplanning.com.au (Admin Wallplanning) — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 03:53:41 GMT

Queensland has introduced a Community Benefit system that fundamentally transforms how wind farms and large-scale solar farms are planned and approved. The Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (the PSICBOLA Act) commenced on 18 July 2025, which introduced amendments to the Planning Act 2016.

The amendments include a new community benefit system which applies to wind farms and large-scale solar farms. This comprehensive reform represents a significant shift in Queensland's planning framework. The new community benefit system requires proponents to undertake a social impact assessment and enter into a community benefit agreement.

What is the Community Benefit System?

The community benefit system seeks to ensure that developments contribute positively to the communities they impact and align with local expectations. The Community Benefit System comprises two essential components that work together and seek to create positive outcomes for the host community:

1. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) The SIA requires proponents to comprehensively evaluate how their project will affect local communities, examining both positive and negative impacts across areas such as workforce management, local procurement, housing availability, and community wellbeing.

2. Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) This system requires proponents to conduct a social impact assessment and enter into a community benefit agreement before lodging a development application.

Which Projects Are Affected?

The Community Benefit system applies specifically to:

All wind farms regardless of size
Large-scale solar farms defined as facilities that either generate 1MW or more of electricity from solar energy, or where solar panels and mounting structures occupy 2 hectares or more

The proposed changes to the Planning Act will apply to development applications and change applications (other than for minor changes) for wind farms and large-scale solar farms.

Key Changes to State Codes

New State Code 26: Solar Farm Development

This new code establishes assessment benchmarks specifically for solar farm developments. The new code seeks to ensure solar farms are subject to a rigorous assessment via the impact assessment process.

Updated State Code 23: Wind Farm Development

State Code 23: Wind Farm Development has been updated to ensure it alights with the change to State Code 26: Solar Farm development where appropriate.

Assessment Process Changes

Impact Assessment for All Renewable Projects

Applicable legislation has been amended such that renewable energy projects are subject to Impact Assessment, i.e. public notification requirements.

Wind farm developments are subject to assessment by the State Assessment Referral Agency (SARA).

The responsibility for assessing development applications for large-scale solar farms shifts from local governments to SARA.

Mandatory Requirements Before Application

The Community Benefit system introduces pre-application requirements that must be completed before lodging a development application:

Social Impact Assessment Report

Proponents must undertake comprehensive community consultation and prepare a detailed SIA report that:

Identifies and analyses social impacts on local communities
Assesses cumulative impacts from multiple developments
Proposes mitigation strategies through a Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP)
Complies with new SIA guidelines

Executed Community Benefit Agreement

The community benefit system requires a social impact assessment report and an executed Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) to be lodged with a development application for it to be properly made.

Types of community benefits could include:

Providing or contributing towards infrastructure
Making a financial contribution
A combination of both

CBAs are intended to be publicly accessible, and it is proposed that local governments will be required to report on the receipt and expenditure of any funds received as part of annual financial statement reporting.

Implications for Existing Applications

At commencement of changes on 18 July 2025, pre-existing applications are taken to be not properly made, unless the application is already subject to a call-in or direction notice under the Planning Act 2016. As a result, these development applications are required to be remade to the relevant assessment manager and are subject to the new community benefit system.

This means many applications will need to restart the process, incorporating the new SIA and CBA requirements.

Looking Ahead

Queensland's Community Benefit system sets a new standard for renewable energy planning.

For developers, this could mean longer approval timeframes and increased costs, but also the opportunity to engage with and create lasting positive relationships with host communities.

For communities, it ensures their voices are heard and that they share in the benefits of renewable energy developments in their areas.

As Queensland continues to transition toward renewable energy, the Community Benefit system seeks to ensure this transformation happens in partnership with local communities.

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For expert guidance on navigating Queensland's new Community Benefit system, contact wallplanning.com.au. Our experienced consultants can help you understand these complex requirements and develop successful strategies for your renewable energy projects.

What Is My QLD Development Application Going To Cost?

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:56:44 GMT

One of the most common questions we hear is, “How much will this development application cost?” . We know that budget is an important factor in getting an idea or project off the ground and whilst this question seems straightforward, there are actually a lot of variables involved. So, let us arm you with as much as we can to help you determine the cost of your QLD development application and show you the value of hiring a Town Planner .

Cost #1: Council Application Fees

Council application fees are one of those variables we just can’t guess at. It depends on the Council, the type of development, the assessment level, and sometimes other smaller factors a particular Council might introduce. This means that Council’s application fee could be $1,000 or it could be over $10,000.

Councils are obligated to charge development application fees on a ‘cost-recovery’ basis, which is a common legal requirement for Council’s to set fees that recover the actual cost of processing applications.

How do I find the fee?

Every Queensland Council will publish a Fee Schedule online. The easiest way to find it is to Google search “[Council Name] fees and charges”, which should bring up a link to their most recent. These fees and charges are usually set at the beginning of each financial year (e.g. 2025-2026).

The section you need will usually be labelled Planning or Town Planning or Development. Determining the fee will mean understanding your development with relation to the planning scheme:

Is it MCU (changing or increasing the use) or RAL (reconfiguration / subdivision)?
Is assessment level Code (suits the zone) or Impact (may impact the zone)?
What zone is the development in?
Is the development residential, commercial, industrial, rural etc?
Plus, other criteria within the breakdown of the Council’s fees.

Cost #2: Council Infrastructure Charges

Council Infrastructure Charges are, more often than not, payable for new developments, even on properties already developed that will have further development carried out on it. This is because the increase in use of the property can impact the capacity of the Council’s infrastructure (stormwater, water, sewerage, roads, and parks) and so needs to contribute towards upgrades and maintenance.

As with Council’s fees and charges, this isn’t something that can be quoted easily because of the variables. It can range from thousands to tens of thousands.

How do I find the fee?

To find out how much your infrastructure charges will be, Google “[Council Name] infrastructure charges” or “[Council Name] charges resolution” and find the most recent charges resolution. Unlike the Council’s fees & charges, the infrastructure charges may not be updated yearly.

A typical Infrastructure Charges Resolution will be named, for example, ‘Charges Resolution (No. 4.1) 2023’ and will be provided in pdf format. Within the document, you are seeking the ‘Adopted Charges’ table, within which you identify MCU/RAL, zone, and development type.

Cost #3: State Referral Fees

If development on your property triggers requirement of a state referral, there will be fees associated with this. Referrals to State Assessment and Referral Agencies (SARA) are most commonly associated with:

Development impacting state transport infrastructure
Development in coastal areas or impacting marine plants
Development affecting native vegetation
Development on contaminated land

Fees for SARA will generally be $1,600 and $3,300 per referral matter. Some complex developments may have multiple referral matters (such as vegetation and transport infrastructure).

Cost #4: Public Notification Fees

When a development is identified as being Impact Assessable, it will require public notification as a part of the assessment. This means the placing of the correct notification signage on the property, publishing notices in local newspapers, and notifying adjoining landowners by letter. It’s best practice to have a development signage specialist carry out this to ensure all is compliant.

It is recommended to allow $3,000 for this expense, though it can come in below that budget.

Cost #5: Technical Reporting

There are many types of technical reports and not all will be relevant to a development. These include:

Site plans (architectural, landscape, surveying etc)
Structural plans
Engineering reports
Environmental reports
Acoustic assessments

The cost of this will depend greatly on what you require, the scale of the project, complexity, and the company making the quote. However, general ballparks are:

Architectural plans ($5,000 to $50,000+)
Landscape plans ($2,000 to $10,000)
Surveying ($1,500 to $5,000)
Engineering reports ($3,000 to $15,000+)
Environmental reports ($2,500 to $10,000+)
Acoustic assessments ($2,000 to $5,000)

Cost #6: The Value of a Town Planner

There’s no downplaying the value of a town planner. As you can see within the previous cost sections, there’s a lot of variables and a lot of ‘people in play’ when it comes to getting approval for a development. A professional Town Planner:

Already knows how to navigate and interpret the legislation on local, state and federal levels
Has contacts and contractor access to keep the process moving
Coordinates with various specialists (architects, engineers and environmental consultants)
Can determine exactly what components will be required for your development application and likely costs
Identifies potential issues and relevant constraints early and suggests modifications
Knows when a referral to SARA is required
Knows everything about your property, including what codes are relevant
Understands your development’s impacts
Provides professional planning arguments and advocates for the proposal on your behalf (highlights the benefits and positive impacts whilst proactively addressing any potential objections or non-compliance)
Can write a concise technical development application report, including all mandatory forms
Carries out full lodgement and lodgement management
Communicates with Council and Government on your behalf
Keeps you informed throughout the process
Minimises application timelines

That means the VALUE of your Town Planner is that they save you stress, time, and the potential of a budget blow out by knowing how to get it done right the first time.

As with other technical professionals, Town Planner fees vary depending on your development’s scale and complexity:

A standard code assessment could cost anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000
A more complex code or standard impact assessment could increase cost to between $8,000 and $20,000
Large scale projects and particularly complex impact assessments could then be $20,000+.

The Value of Planning Approval Group

Planning Approval Group have been helping Queenslanders to obtain development approvals for over 15 years, in both country and city. That means we know Queensland’s Councils and development requirements inside and out.

Contact us today to discuss your development.

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Is My QLD Development a Code or Impact Assessment?

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 04:46:27 GMT

If you’ve begun delving into a planning scheme or information on your Council’s website, you may have already heard the terms Code Assessment and Impact Assessment. Now to figure out which one applies to your development! The heart of the matter is that Queensland’s planning system is designed to balance development needs with community and environmental needs. Let’s break it down so it’s digestible.

Code & Impact Assessment Definitions - Planning Act vs Plain Speak

The Planning Act 2016 (the Act) works in conjunction with local Council planning schemes to create the framework for development assessments. According to the Act ( Section 45 ), the definitions of Code and Impact Assessment are:

A code assessment is an assessment that must be carried out only -

Against the assessment benchmarks in a categorising instrument for the development; and
Having regard to any matters prescribed by regulation for this paragraph.

An impact assessment is an assessment that -

Must be carried out -
Against the assessment benchmarks in a categorising instrument for the development; and
Having regard to any matters prescribed by regulation for this subparagraph; and
May be carried out against, or having regard to, any other relevant matter, other than a person's personal circumstances, financial or otherwise.

That’s all a rather round-about way of saying that Code Assessments suit the planning scheme ’s regulations. Impact Assessments need a little bit more examining because some aspects of the development may have an adverse impact on surrounding community.

It’s important to note that, generally speaking, the majority of impact assessments do get accepted, however there’s extra steps involved in the process and usually extra conditions imposed on the approval of the development to take into consideration.

Key Differences - Code vs Impact Assessment

Public Notification is one key difference between the two types of assessment. This means the requirement to notify the public about your development through signage (have you seen those white signs at developments with key information on them?), in local newspapers, and direct to owners of adjoining lots.

Code Assessment – not required

Impact Assessment – required

There is a specific point toward the end of the Impact Assessment timeline when this must be carried out, and usually over a period of 15 business days.

Assessment Benchmarks and Relevant Matters are another key difference:

Code Assessment – limited to assessment against the applicable state codes (not on every occasion) and local planning scheme codes. The assessment must only consider matters within those regulations.

Impact Assessment – this is more comprehensive, requiring assessment against the full planning scheme, not just the relevant codes. For the most part, means addressing your development against the Strategic Framework of your local planning scheme in your report to ‘pitch’ how your development is suited to the overall visions and expectations for the area. How can your development meet or exceed the needs?

Level of Discretion is the next key difference. This simply means, “How much can the assessment manager apply their discretion when making a decision?” . The answer to that is that in Code Assessment, discretion has a limited use, whereas in Impact Assessment the Assessment Manager has more ability to use their discretion when making a final decision. This means, for example, that they are able to ‘not approve’ an impact application that meets codes if they believe it does not fit the strategic intent.

Assessment Timeframes is probably the key difference that people want to know most of all. Understandably, they want things processed ASAP.

Code Assessment is generally the faster application to process as it is very prescriptive. Decision Notices, if not delayed by Information Requests, are required within 35 Business Days of the application being confirmed as being properly made.

Impact Assessment takes longer because of the volume considerations and information outside of the relevant codes, as well as the public notification period. Decision notices are typically required within 45 business days plus the notification period of 15 (sometimes 30) business days. Again, this is increased if there is an Information Request issued.

So How Do I Know? - Code vs Impact Assessment

The Planning Scheme of your local Council is where that answer is found. Here’s the inside scoop to get you going:

Step 1 – Find your property’s Zone Code in the Council’s mapping (usually online mapping is available), e.g. low density residential zone

Step 2 – Find the Use Definitions in the planning scheme (this step is not required for subdivisions – also known as Reconfigure a Lot)

Step 3 – Find the Tables of Assessment section of the planning scheme and:

Choose either Material Change of Use (MCU) or Reconfigure a Lot (RAL) section
Find your Zone Code within the MCU or RAL section (this is where the process ends for RAL)
Find your Use Definition within that Zone and it will tell you not only what assessment level, but also what codes are relevant (except overlays).

The Assessment Level will either be Accepted Development (no application required), Code Assessment, Impact Assessment, or Prohibited Development (will not be considered).

Code vs Impact - Getting It Right

Want peace of mind that it’s done right the first time – we absolutely understand and that’s why Planning Approval Group is here! We know our stuff and can liaise with any of the 77 local Councils of Queensland and you’ll be delighted and relieved to know that this will reduce, stress, time, and (for many) totally eliminate the dread and boredom of report writing!

Get in touch with Planning Approval Group to get your Code or Impact Assessment right the first time.

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Modifying a Character or Heritage Property in Brisbane

Fri, 16 May 2025 02:24:49 GMT

Owning a beautiful old home, such as a Queenslander, is the dream of many Brisbane (and Queensland) buyers. The architecture and craftsmanship of older homes and buildings is without a doubt stunning and owning a little piece of history is thrilling! It’s important to note, however, that modifying one of these historic buildings can come with specialised and strict regulations – not only in Brisbane but in other Councils across Queensland.

Important note: If your property is not within Brisbane City Council jurisdiction, please check your local Council’s own planning scheme.

Character vs Heritage Buildings

Character Properties and Heritage Buildings (also known as a Local Heritage Place) are not the same thing in Brisbane. Here’s the difference:

Character Properties

Character properties display key elements and features of different building styles from Brisbane’s history. Primarily buildings built before the end of 1946, with special considerations for buildings built before 1911. There are three types of character properties:

Traditional building character
Commercial character building
Pre-1911 building

Character Properties are identified in the Brisbane City Plan Online Maps , most often within the following zones and overlays:

Character Residential Zone
Commercial Character Building (activities) Overlay
Traditional Building Character (design) Overlay Code

Similar codes that govern character property development, such as the Pre-1911 Building Overlay Code discuss the demolition and removal of character buildings.

Local Heritage Places

A Local Heritage Place reflects aspects of Brisbane’s local history and culture, with a primary focus on convict-era buildings. Although you will likely know that your property is a local heritage place, here is how you can identify it:

Identified on the Heritage Overlay for the Brisbane City Plan
Brisbane City Council identify them on their Local Heritage Places Online Tool
Pre-1911 Building Overlay Code (for demolition and removal)

Why Are There Special Regulations?

Brisbane, like many other towns and cities in Queensland, has an amazing and rich history to share and celebrate. Whilst moving forward with the times is essential, these pockets of history need to be preserved to tell Brisbane’s story from settlement to modern day.

These regulations are in place to protect these buildings and localities. Modernising buildings such as Queenslanders is popular (and tempting!), however can significantly degrade the historic value of the property.

Character Properties - Regulation Highlights

Some specific outcomes from the Character Residential Zone that you might be interested to know:

Developments are to be low density – multiple dwellings and dual occupancy are not accommodated (unless in the Infill Housing Zone Precinct)
Development must protect and retain buildings built in 1946 or before
Extensions must reflect and complement the city’s traditional building character
Minimum lot size is 450m ² , reducing capabilities for subdivision

Highlights of the codes in the Commercial Character Building (activities) Overlay Code are:

Extensions, alterations, renovations and refurbishments are sensitive to the built form, ensuring the original remains clearly identifiable. They must not dominate or detract from the appearance of the existing commercial character building
The buildings cannot be raised unless essential for flooding, sub-floor air circulation, or pest infestation prevention
The primary frontage must remain similar in appearance to the original building
Development must be designed with appropriate detailing for the period of the building and shopfronts should be constructed in materials sensitive to the period of the building
Development must integrate with the streetscape.

The Traditional Building Character (design) Overlay Code requires:

Development retains buildings constructed in 1946 or prior
External elements must reflect the traditional materials used predominantly in residential buildings constructed in 1946 or prior
Low set houses must remain of a low-set appearance
Fencing visible from the street is low and transparent and complements traditional fencing styles in the area
Roof modifications must retain the original roof form
Garages are set back from the front boundary and don’t dominate the house

The Heritage Overlay Code

Here are the critical regulation highlights you need to know for a building in the Heritage Overlay Code :

Developments provide for future protection and do not damage or diminish its cultural heritage significance
All aspects of the cultural significance and heritage must be taken into account
Development must be based on issues relevant to conservation of the heritage place
Low set buildings must remain low set
Any development work must be designed with appropriate detailing for the period
Additions and alterations must conserve the heritage significance and not obscure the traditional building fabric
Car parking areas must be concealed behind the heritage place or located so as to not visually dominate
Landscaping must not impair views of the heritage place

Approval Success with Planning Approval Group

Did you know that Planning Approval Group have a bunch of useful resources to help you understand development applications? Check out our Resources page!

Want to dodge all of this altogether? That’s just one of the reasons you should hire a town planner! Planning Approval Group achieve a high rate of development approvals in Queensland. We know planning schemes inside out, reducing time spent interpreting.

Get in contact today and just get it done.

Planning Scheme Sources

Planning Scheme referenced in this article:

Brisbane City Plan 2014

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Getting It Right - Understanding a QLD Planning Scheme

renee.wall@wallplanning.com.au (Renee Wall) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 03:38:42 GMT

There’s no other way to put it – Planning Schemes are huge. They’re filled with jargon and have an immense number of codes to consider. Queensland LGA Planning Scheme codes are the regulations that your development must adhere to, to be approved by your local Council. The codes are a critical part of what ensures the vision for the community’s harmony, aesthetic, and growth is achieved. Addressing the planning scheme with precision is critical.

Let’s take a step-by-step approach and dissect a planning scheme.

Understanding QLD Planning Schemes

If you ever have the opportunity to look at planning schemes from multiple Councils, you’ll see that the design and structure of them are almost identical. This is because it’s a structure set by the State. It’s the content that differs from Council to Council depending on what suits their communities.

Here is the breakdown of an average QLD Planning Scheme:

1. Community Statement – this section describes the region and often it will also describe the vision for the region.

2. About the Planning Scheme – this is an important chapter to read if you are unfamiliar with planning schemes because it outlines how to understand it.

3. State Planning Provisions – this section outlines how the Planning Scheme meets State planning policies (because they must be incorporated into the codes etc).

4. Strategic Framework – this section forms the basis for how appropriate development should occur and what the detailed vision and goals for the region are. You will need to address this if your development requires an Impact level assessment.

5. Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) – this section outlines plans for future infrastructure expectation and growth (water, sewerage, parks etc).

6. Tables of Assessment – this section determines whether your development type is an accepted development, code assessable, impact assessable or prohibited.

7. Zone Codes – these are the codes applicable to each zone in the Local Government Area (e.g. low-density residential zone, centre zone, rural zone, high impact industry zone).

8. Overlay Codes – these codes must be addressed if they impact your property and often include bushfire hazard overlay, flood hazard overlay, biodiversity overlay and airport environs overlay.

9. Development Codes – these cover any other aspects of the development such as use, earthworks, landscaping, parking and access, and services.

10. Schedules – these are incredibly useful attachments to the planning scheme that include definitions and mapping

11. Appendices – these are additional attachments that include a jargon glossary and table of amendments

Interpreting a QLD Planning Scheme

Sometimes processing what you’re looking at can be overwhelming but there are actually really good guides built into the planning scheme to understand what the point of it is, what you need to achieve, and how you do that.

1. Read the Purpose Statements – each code has a section at the beginning that discusses the purpose of the code, which provide valuable context to help interpret the codes and how to mould your code responses

2. How the Codes are Structured – When looking at the codes, you’ll see Performance Outcome (PO) and Acceptable Outcome (AO):

Performance Outcome (PO) – the overall expectation of the code
Acceptable Outcome (AO) – How this overall expectation MUST be achieved, although alternative solutions can be proposed

3. Apply a Holistic Approach – It’s obviously quite important to meet codes, however looking at the planning scheme as a whole can help when proposing alternate solutions. Does this alternate solution achieve the purposes, needs, and visions of the planning scheme?

4. Be Familiar with Definitions – never assume the meaning of any jargon. It’s important to check the definitions and glossary to ensure your understanding and application are accurate.

5. Identify Your Codes – when pulling together a Development Application Report, start the process by identifying your relevant codes. Check the maps to determine which zone and overlay codes impact your property, then use the Table of Assessment to determine which other codes (development, use etc) are required. Starting with this helps give your application (and development specifics) direction.

6. Pre-lodgement Meetings and Council Advice – this is a useful resource when understanding the codes and how they impact your development. You can also get an idea of the likelihood your development will be approved. Note – there are limitations to the assistance you can receive. Complex applications or developers not understanding the codes may be referred to a private town planner to complete the application.

Common Interpretation Challenges

Challenges are going to happen and mistakes are easy to make . Here are some common interpretation challenges to consider:

1. Resolving Conflicting Provisions – which codes take precedence? The general rule of thumb:

Specific provisions prevail over general provisions
High-order provisions (strategic framework) generally prevail over low-order provisions
More recent provisions prevail over older provision

2. Quantitative vs Qualitative Requirements – Planning Schemes contain both quantitative requirements (e.g. setbacks, site cover percentages, building height etc) and qualitative requirements (e.g. character, amenity etc). Whilst you’d expect quantitative to be more important, both are actually of equal importance in achieving approval. Quantitative is fairly straightforward because it’s data and measurement driven. Qualitative can require more planning and knowledge of broader context, precedents, and intended outcomes.

3. Addressing Outdated Provisions – Communities evolve over time and sometimes the contents of a planning scheme can seem outdated. Providing strategic planning documents as references to support where your application doesn’t meet a code or strategic framework item could be considered. It may even guide future amendments to the planning scheme!

Approval Success with Planning Approval Group

Did you know that Planning Approval Group have a bunch of useful resources to help you understand development applications? Check out our Resources page!

Get in contact today and just get it done.

Planning Scheme Sources

Here are the standard and more complex planning schemes used to guide this article:

1. Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016

2. Brisbane City Plan 2014

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8 Common Mistakes in Queensland Development Applications

renee.wall@wallplanning.com.au (Renee Wall) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 04:07:38 GMT

Writing and piecing together a development application in Queensland is a big process and often challenging, even for a seasoned professional. We’d like to make that process easier for you , by outlining what not to do in your Queensland development application.

1. Getting The Assessment Level Wrong

There is one part of a Queensland development application guaranteed to create major issues with your assessment – getting your development’s assessment level right.

Assessment Levels assess the extent of you development’s impacts – to what degree does it fit the zone? Each assessment level is a step up in effort and information required, which is why getting it wrong can make such a mess. The assessment levels are:

Accepted – in general, whilst this doesn’t require an application at all, you will still need to check the zone code to ensure you move forward with your development to meet the legislation.
Code – this will require an application to council with responses to each applicable code in relation to the development. Whilst your type of development suits the zone, when you break it down into tiny pieces, does it comply?
Impact – Your development might fit the zone but needs some convincing. Your development is on a precipice. The Council can be convinced that you can fit in the zone, but making a poor case can result in denial. This requires an application and public notification.
Prohibited – your development type is identified as not fitting the zone and Council will not give it consideration. Your best bet is to have a pre-lodgement meeting with Council to strategise ways to move it from prohibited to impact.

Want to avoid incorrect assessment levels and starting over with your application? Hire a Queensland town planner to get it right the first time.

2. Not Truly Understanding Your Site

How well do you understand your site and its constraints? Your development site can be impacted by zone codes, overlay code, neighbourhood codes, development codes, and use codes. Here is what to check for BEFORE investing in the site or getting too deep into planning:

Zone Codes – these codes ultimately deem whether your development is suitable or likely to be acceptable within its zone (e.g. medium residential zone, industry zone, centre zone, rural zone).
Overlay Codes – these codes (and their mapping) identify areas of your lot impacted by natural hazards, biodiversity regulations, and infrastructure and transport requirements. Sometimes you can plan your development to meet these codes, but sometimes you simply can’t develop in that impacted space at all.
Neighbourhood Codes – these function similarly to zone codes (and must be addressed as well as the zone code), but they break up large areas so that legislation addresses the uniqueness of each area.
Development Codes – these determine whether development meets specific legislation regarding aspects like building specifications, landscaping, and site layout. The good news is – at least you know how to adjust your plans to improve approval chances!
Use Codes – these codes set out legislation regarding specific uses such as childcare, short-term accommodation, retail, and food & drink outlets. They are similar in usefulness as development codes – their specifics can strengthen rather than hinder your development project.

A few common, specific site issues to look out for are:

Whether legislated minimum lot sizes will suit your planned subdivision
Whether you’re allowed to clear vegetation
Whether bushfire or flood hazard levels allow for development
Whether your council supports specific unique or contentious development types (some don’t favour air bnb or mass food-chains, for instance)

3. Poor Response to Performance Outcomes

Queensland’s planning system is performance based. When writing your development application report, you will need to address all relevant codes. These codes have ‘performance outcomes’ that are breakdowns of specific requirements.

This might seem picky or painful, however you need to look at them not as a way to hinder your development, but rather to strengthen and improve it. Tips for creating strong responses:

Your responses should be concise, with technical specifications where required
Your responses should address the code entirely OR prove how your alternative approach exceeds the code
Lay out your responses in a table in the same manner they are presented – Performance Outcomes (the legislation), Acceptable Outcomes (the specific requirements), and then your added Code Response column.

4. Inconsistency Between Application Documents

This issue is simple common sense, but you’d be surprised what errors can go unnoticed before it’s too late. When putting together your development application, ask yourself questions such as:

Does my site plan match up with what I’ve said in the code responses?
Do my building plans match up with what I’ve said in the code responses?
Do my summaries match up with code responses?
Does my DA Form 1 correlate with the details in my application report?
Does the property owner identified in my application match the property owner identified in my title search?

There are plenty more specific questions to ask yourself, but what it boils down to is: Does each piece of paper you’re submitting match up with your development application report?

5. Ignoring Pre-Lodgement Advice

This is another common-sense issue that is easily avoided. Your Local Government Council is who ultimately decides whether your development is approved or denied. It stands to reason that any pre-lodgement advice given, whilst not guaranteeing approval, is advice you absolutely should follow when preparing your development application.

These pre-lodgement sessions are a vital tool, addressing any specific issues with your development’s potential to find ways to mould it to Council requirements.

6. Generic Technical & Infrastructure Reports

Technical reports should be TECHNICAL – this means they should be specific to your project with in-depth information. This reduces the chances of denial and prevents Requests for Information from Council, which can delay the progress of your project.

Infrastructure reports and plans should show how impacts on the Council’s infrastructure, such as stormwater and sewerage, will be mitigated – specific to your project.

7. Poor Public Notification Execution

If your development identifies as requiring impact assessment, you’ve got a bit extra work proving your case in your development application. Part of your impact assessment process involves public notification. Minimum requirements are:

Newspaper notice
On-site signage
Adjoining landowner notification (letter)

Consideration of Queensland’s legislated timeline for developments is important for smooth assessment and approval. The public notification must commence within 20 business days of receiving your confirmation notice that your application has been properly made. The public notification period takes 15 days (unless specified otherwise), and after completion the applicant must provide written notice of public notification completion to the assessment manager within 10 business days.

Failure to meet the timeline may result in closure of your application, without approval, which will require either negotiation with the Council or starting over with the application process.

8. Inadequate Response To Information Requests

Information requests are issued because they need more information; more specifics. It’s important to provide as much detail as possible, including potentially lodging new or amended plans and technical reports.

Failure to do so can result in either rejection of your application or a further drawn-out application period.

Getting It Done Right The First Time

Whilst there is no reason you can’t do your own development application, it is highly recommended that you hire a qualified and experienced town planner instead.

The price you pay for a town planner ensures efficient processes and concise responses; not to mention the reduced time, workload, and stress for you!

Planning Approval Group are ready and waiting to bring your development plans to fruition!

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

10 Things A Brisbane Developer Needs To Know & Why You Should Engage A Brisbane Town Planner

renee.wall@wallplanning.com.au (Renee Wall) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 03:21:45 GMT

Are you considering developing your property in Brisbane? Whether you're planning a minor renovation, subdividing your land, or embarking on a major development project, navigating the planning approval process can be complex. Here are ten crucial factors to consider before starting your development journey.

1. Brisbane City Plan 2014

Understanding how your property is zoned under the Brisbane City Plan 2014 is essential. This planning scheme is the legislation that determines what types of developments are permitted, the building height limits, setbacks, and other requirements.

The various Zones , such as Medium Density Residential, Business Centre, and Industry Zones, have different requirements and limitations, so checking your property's zoning should be your first step.

Brisbane's planning scheme includes numerous overlays that might affect your property. These could include heritage protections, flood hazard areas, biodiversity areas, or bushfire risk zones.

Local plans are a common feature and may also apply additional requirements specific to your neighbourhood.

Check all relevant overlays and local plans as they can significantly impact what you can build.

2. Development Categories

Your project will fall into one of several development categories:

Accepted development
Accepted development subject to requirements
Code assessable development
Impact assessable development

Understanding which category applies to your project is crucial as it determines the approval process and level of assessment required.

Accepted Development means that the development is immediately accepted and does not require a formal application, however, if it is subject to requirements then you do need to check your development against the prescribed codes to ensure there are no legal issues down the track.

Code Assessable indicates that the development is must be assessed by the Council against all relevant codes. This will require a formal application addressing all codes.

Impact Assessable indicates the development may have negative impacts on the zone or surrounding sensitive uses and so requires a formal application addressing all codes as well as public notification of intent to develop.

3. Site Constraints

Physical characteristics of your property can significantly impact development potential:

Slope and terrain
Existing vegetation (especially protected trees)
Soil conditions and stability
Access to services and utilities
Stormwater management requirements

Professional surveys and technical reports may be needed to properly assess these factors, which some Brisbane Town Planners, such as Planning Approval Group, can assist with.

4. Neighbourhood Context

Consider how your development will integrate with the surrounding area:

Building height and scale of neighbouring properties
Local character and streetscape
Privacy and overshadowing impacts
Noise, odour, and emission impacts
Traffic and parking considerations
Community expectations and potential objections

5. Provision of Technical Documents

Depending on legislation and the type of development, Brisbane City Council may request additional documentation created by qualified professionals, such as:

Site Plan
Building Plans
Bushfire Management Plan
Stormwater Management Plan
Traffic Management Plan

Planning Approval Group have access to high quality professional contractors if you require additional professional support.

6. Professional Support

Development applications, and chance of approval, benefit from professional expertise:

Town planners to navigate the planning scheme and prepare applications
Architects or building designers for plans and drawings
Engineers for technical requirements
Surveyors for accurate site information
Other specialists depending on site constraints

Planning Approval Group have access to high quality professional contractors if you require additional professional support.

7. Timeframes

Whilst there is a set approvals timeline, the length of time the planning process may take depends greatly on your development:

Simple applications might take 2-3 months
Complex applications can take considerably longer, depending on the development
Public notification periods, if required, can add at least 2 weeks to the process
Referrals to State assessment bodies can add approximately 2 weeks to the process
Responding to information requests can take up to 3 months
Post-approval conditions and requirements – you may have to comply with specific conditions and requests for documents before construction can begin
Appeals can add indeterminable time to the approval, sometimes years

Build realistic timeframes into your project planning. Hiring a professional Brisbane town planner can help to reduce timeframes through accuracy and knowledge of the planning scheme and application process.

8. Brisbane Town Planning Costs

Beyond construction costs, budget for:

Application fees
Professional fees
Technical reports and investigations
Infrastructure charges
Contingency for unexpected issues
Holding costs during the approval process

A Brisbane town planner, such as Planning Approval Group, can assist to determine the planning costs of your development.

9. Future Town Planning Changes

Brisbane is continually evolving, and planning requirements change regularly, which need to be monitored during the application process:

Stay informed about proposed planning scheme amendments
Consider timing your application strategically
Be aware of temporary local planning instruments
Monitor major infrastructure projects that might affect your area

A Brisbane town planner, such as Planning Approval Group, can efficiently and more effectively monitor planning changes.

10. Next Steps

Before proceeding with your development plans:

Obtain a property planning report from Brisbane City Council – this can be obtained through the Brisbane City Plan’s online maps
Consult with qualified professionals about your specific situation
Consider pre-lodgement meetings with Council for complex projects
Review recent similar developments in your area
Develop a realistic budget and timeline

Remember that every property and development proposal is unique. While these considerations provide a starting point, professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances is invaluable for navigating Brisbane's planning approval process successfully.

Contact the Planning Approval Group team for assistance with your development application . Our team can carry your development accurately and efficiently through the application and approvals process.

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Queensland Childcare Centre Approvals Address Demand

renee.wall@wallplanning.com.au (Renee Wall) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:56:57 GMT

With workers having made the gradual switch back to working in the office, the population experiencing a post-covid spike, and many parents opting to return to work, childcare centres are filled to the brim. The result is an urgent demand for more childcare centres within most Queensland communities.

ABS data shows a spike in population growth across Australia during late 2021 and early 2022. Whilst the growth rate is gradually settling back to pre-covid levels, childcare centres and communities are still dealing with the boom .

Planning Approval Group have been assisting childcare centres to obtain planning approvals over the past few years, providing an insightful and experienced service to all childcare providers.

Defining Childcare Centre

The majority of Planning Schemes (for instance, Brisbane City Council and Southern Downs Regional Council ), if not all, define a Childcare Centre (or Child Care Centre) as:

“Childcare centre means the use of premises for the care, education and minding, but not residence, of children.”

Childcare Centres can include:

Before or After School Care
Crèche
Early Childhood Centre
Kindergarten
Vacation Care

Childcare Centres do not include:

Educational Establishment
Home-Based Child Care
Family Day Care

A home-based childcare or family day care arrangement will likely be considered a home-based business, however check with your local council’s planning scheme.

Note: Be sure to check the definitions of your local Council planning scheme, in case there are any differences. Need help? We can carry out a Development Potential Health Check to give you the essential information and point you in the right direction.

Can I Have A Childcare Centre Anywhere?

Where you can have a childcare will depend on the zone and also the surrounding uses. Childcare Centres are considered a ‘sensitive use’ – this means that it often can’t be placed near identified places such as industrial estates, which would impact on the sensitive use.

Likewise, checks may be required to ensure the childcare centre doesn’t impact on other sensitive uses. Whilst, for the most part, it will likely be fine around sensitive uses such as residential zones and educational facilities, it may be considered impactful for other sensitive uses, such as aged care and palliative facilities, though this is rare. This depends entirely on the Council’s planning scheme.

Having a potential impact on another sensitive use is not necessarily an instant ‘prohibited development’, it may simply require a more stringent Impact assessment to decide.

Childcare centres are most frequently welcomed within residential zones, however location may still be impacted by the planning scheme through overlays (such as a bushfire hazard overlay) or a neighbourhood or precinct code.

Do I Require Any Special Technical Information?

There may be requirements imposed by your local Council with regard to technical documentation that must be provided with the application (or before operations phase). This will depend entirely on the requirements of your Council and where you are planning to develop. Planning Approval Group (PAG) have the understanding and sub-contractors to assist you to meet this requirement.

These reports or documents potentially include:

Site Plans (potentially Civil Engineering drawings)
Emergency Evacuation Plans
Effluent Management Report
Stormwater Management Report
Bushfire Management Report
Flood Management Report
Air Quality Assessment
Traffic Management Report

The Approvals Process

Approval for your Bed and Breakfast requires the same process that would be carried out for most developments. PAG are hands on throughout the entire process:

Initial consultation with PAG - we examine your project inside and out, getting to know all those critical details that are required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and to have the process explained.
Sub-Contractor Consultations - on your behalf, PAG arrange supporting material, such as plans and reports, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
Pre-Lodgement Meetings with Council and State Government Agencies - These meetings are organised and hosted by PAG to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
Preparation and Submission of the Development Application - PAG consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a concise and detailed development application that addresses all government department and Council legislation.
Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) - the development application will provide responses to specific codes provided by the Council and SARA (if required), which each will assess. SARA assessment will look at State codes, the most common including vegetation clearing, heritage places, and state-controlled roads.
Public Notification Period - if your project is identified as requiring public notification (usually when an impact assessment and common for subdivision), this will be a short period during which the community is notified of the development and allowed to provide feedback that may impact your approval or approval conditions.
Decision Stage - Information Requests and Decision Notices will be issued, potentially with site- or project-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval. A rejection may be appealed.

The Childcare Planning Approval Timeline

The process of completing a development application is a little heftier than filling out a few forms. Whilst there is a requisite form that must be completed, the application must also include a comprehensive development application report, legislative code responses, title searches, site plans, technical reports and other specific documentation. Each individual inclusion takes time to prepare.

It can all get a bit overwhelming and time consuming, we know, which is why PAG are here to handle the process for you. The approximate timeline for approval is as follows:

Preparation of the Application – this may take around 4-6 weeks, potentially more with large scale subdivisions, depending on the technical reporting and difficulty. However, PAG always aim to reduce this time frame as much as practicable.
Assessment of the Application – all Councils follow state mandated timeframes when approving developments. This can take at least 2 - 3 months depending on whether Action Notices or Information Requests are issued within the process. An additional 2 to 4 weeks will be required for public notification if the assessment is Impact assessable.

Please note that if your application is issued with an Action Notice, an additional 20 business days may be required, and an Information Request may add up to 3 months to the timeline. Appeals at the end of the process will incur additional time.

As a whole, the process is most likely to take at least 4 months, however when complex and requiring high volume technical documentation, it can potentially balloon out to 4 to 6 months. PAG work hard across the process to minimise that timeline.

Before You Buy The Land

If you think you’ve found the perfect place for a Childcare Centre, Planning Approval Group recommend having a Development Potential Health Check carried out before making the purchase. This check, carried out by our qualified and experienced team, provides you with all the critical planning information about the property, including what codes it is impacted by, whether it is suitable (code or impact assessment), and other advisory comments.

Have a chat to Planning Approval Group today about your Childcare project .

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Top Tips for Achieving Subdivision Approval

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 03:26:15 GMT

Subdivision, or Reconfiguring a Lot, can be a daunting task for any developer. Whether it be splitting a rural property between siblings or developing a whole new pocket of suburbia, there are vital things that you need to know to make this development journey smoother. Let’s break down subdivision development.

Defining Subdivision

When people think of subdivision, they tend to immediately think of new suburban developments and mass land releases. This is true, with subdivision not only being the creation of residential developments, but also commercial precincts and industrial parks. However, subdivision isn’t limited to such large-scale development. Another common application is the division of one lot into two or three – for instance a rural lot being formally split between owners.

In fact, in many planning schemes you may find it hard to research subdivision, with very little reference to it. This is because the common planning term for this activity is Reconfiguring a Lot.

Why not just call it subdivision? Well, the activity isn’t limited to dividing up larger lots of land into smaller ones. It can also include rearranging or merging of existing lot boundaries.

Can I Subdivide Any Lot of Land?

The simple answer to that is No. Your Council will have set minimum lot sizes for every zone (i.e. rural, high-density residential, low impact industry) of the planning scheme. So, whilst you might have a nice big acre lot in the rural residential zone, the minimum lot size might be exactly that, or very close, meaning your lot can’t be subdivided.

Additionally, there will be other regulations set in place, within each zone code and Reconfiguring a Lot development code, outlining specific requirements. These requirements might include the acceptability of battle-axe blocks and the amount of space required for driveway access to rear lots. The regulations may also simply forbid subdivision within that zone or precinct.

This is where your investigative journey should begin: the Zone Code and, if set out as a separate development code, the Reconfiguring a Lot Code.

Do I Require Any Special Technical Information?

This will depend entirely on your local council, however as a minimum, you will be required to have a professionally engineered / drawn up set of plans for the layout of the proposed subdivision.

In additional to professionally drawn up site plans, other technical documentation that may be required in these early stages can include (but are not limited to):

Services plans (infrastructure such as sewerage, stormwater, water, electrical, telecommunications etc)
Civil engineering plans of roads, bicycle and pedestrian paths within the development
Emergency Management Plans

Certainly, many technical documents may be able to be provided prior to operations phase, if negotiated with Council, but it’s best to be prepared with as many professionally prepared technical documents as possible ahead of time for things to run more smoothly.

If you are concerned about putting money and time into plans and technical documents, PAG offers preliminary services , including a Development Potential Health Check or a more intensive Preliminary Planning Report, to advise on the viability of your proposed development and/or land.

Is the Approval Determined Only By Local Council?

It is fairly likely you will have to go through State approval processes also. Whilst there are always exceptions, with subdivisions having no impact on State matters, it’s very common for subdivisions to require State approvals.

Things that may require State Approval include (but are not limited to):

Clearing of native vegetation;
Crossing over a State-controlled railway corridor as part of a new site access;
Connecting to a State-controlled road;
Properties that include waterways;
Subdivisions in a busway environment.

The State codes relevant to your property can be found on the Queensland Government SDAP website.

The Approvals Process

Approval for your Bed and Breakfast requires the same process that would be carried out for most developments. PAG are hands on throughout the entire process:

Initial consultation with PAG - we examine your project inside and out, getting to know all those critical details that are required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and to have the process explained.
Sub-Contractor Consultations - on your behalf, PAG arrange supporting material, such as plans and reports, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
Pre-Lodgement Meetings with Council and State Government Agencies - These meetings are organised and hosted by PAG to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
Preparation and Submission of the Development Application - PAG consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a concise and detailed development application that addresses all government department and Council legislation.
Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) - the development application will provide responses to specific codes provided by the Council and SARA (if required), which each will assess.
Public Notification Period - if your project is identified as requiring public notification (usually when an impact assessment and common for subdivision), this will be a short period during which the community is notified of the development and allowed to provide feedback that may impact your approval or approval conditions.
Decision Stage - Information Requests and Decision Notices will be issued, potentially with site- or project-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval. A rejection may be appealed. Information Requests will add extra time to the approval process.

The Subdivision Approval Timeline

It can all get a bit overwhelming, we know, which is why PAG are here to handle the process for you. The approximate timeline for approval is as follows:

· Preparation of the Application – this may take around 4-6 weeks, potentially more with large scale subdivisions, depending on the technical reporting and difficulty. However, PAG always aim to reduce this time frame as much as practicable.

· Assessment of the Application – all Councils follow state mandated timeframes when approving developments. This can take at least 2 - 3 months depending on whether Action Notices or Information Requests are issued within the process. An additional 2 to 4 weeks will be required for public notification if the assessment is Impact assessable.

As a whole, the process is most likely to take at least 4 months, however when complex and requiring high volume technical documentation, it can potentially balloon out to 6-8 months. PAG work hard across the process to minimise that timeline.

Kickstart your subdivision development by booking your initial appointment with Renee TODAY to discuss the services available for your project!

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Get Your Queensland Bed & Breakfast Approved

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 03:37:30 GMT

When is a house not a house? When it’s a Bed and Breakfast! You’d think that opening your home to others as a short-term accommodation option wouldn’t require much but, as many discover when preparing their dream business, planning legislation says otherwise! Let’s delve into some of the requirements you may face for your B&B.

Defining Bed and Breakfast

The majority of Council planning schemes , if not all, will have a Bed and Breakfast establishment listed under the definition of Short-Term Accommodation. The definition of Short-Term Accommodation most commonly used in planning schemes is:

“Short-term accommodation-

(a) Means the use of premises for –

(i) Providing accommodation of less than 3 consecutive months to tourists or travellers; or

(ii) A manager’s residence, office, or recreation facilities for the exclusive use of guests, if the use is ancillary to the use in subparagraph (i); but

(b) Does not include a hotel, nature-based tourism, resort complex or tourist park.”

Short-Term Accommodation can include:

Bed and Breakfast
Motel
Backpackers
Cabins
Serviced Apartments
Farm Stay

Note: Be sure to check the definitions of your local Council planning scheme carefully when planning an accommodation facility – other accommodation uses can include Tourist Park, Rural Workers’ Accommodation, Rooming Accommodation, Resort Complex, Relocatable Home Park, Party House, Nature-Based Tourism, and Hotel.

Can I Have a B&B Anywhere?

Where you can have a B&B will depend on the planning scheme zone that the property is in. For instance, chances are slim that a B&B will be approved in an industrial zone, however may be code assessable in a rural residential zone and impact assessable in a residential zone.

What this means:

Code Assessable – the Bed and Breakfast is suited to the zone you are applying to develop in! A standard development application applies and assessment timing could be reduced.

Impact Assessable – the Bed and Breakfast isn’t entirely suited to the zone, however Council is willing to consider the application, with provision that public notifications take place as a part of the process. Assessment timing will take longer than a standard development assessment.

Do I Require Any Special Technical Information?

Site Plans (potentially Civil Engineering drawings)
Emergency Evacuation Plans
Effluent Management Report
Stormwater Management Report
Bushfire Management Report
Flood Management Report

The Approvals Process

Approval for your Bed and Breakfast requires the same process that would be carried out for most developments. PAG are hands on throughout the entire process:

Initial consultation with PAG - we examine your project inside and out, getting to know all those critical details that are required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and to have the process explained.
Sub-Contractor Consultations - on your behalf, PAG arrange supporting material, such as plans and reports, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
Pre-Lodgement Meetings with Council and State Government Agencies - These meetings are organised and hosted by PAG to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
Preparation and Submission of the Development Application - PAG consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a concise and detailed development application that addresses all government department and Council legislation.
Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) - the development application will provide responses to specific codes provided by the Council and SARA (if required), which each will assess.
Public Notification Period - if your project is identified as requiring public notification (usually when an impact assessment), this will be a short period during which the community is notified of the development and allowed to provide feedback that may impact your approval or approval conditions.
Decision Stage - Information Requests and Decision Notices will be issued, potentially with site- or project-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval. A rejection may be appealed.

The B&B Approval Timeline

It can all get a bit overwhelming, we know, which is why PAG are here to handle the process for you. The approximate timeline for approval is as follows:

Preparation of the Application – this may take around 4-6 weeks, depending on the technical reporting and difficulty, however PAG always aim to reduce this time frame as much as practicable.
Assessment of the Application – all Councils follow state mandated timeframes when approving developments. This can take 1 to 2 months depending on whether Action Notices or Information Requests are issued within the process. An additional 2 weeks will be required for public notification if the assessment is Impact assessable.

Please note that if your application is issued with an Action Notice, an additional 20 business days may be required, and if an Information Request may add up to 3 months to the timeline. Appeals at the end of the process will incur additional time.

As a whole, the process is most likely to take 2 to 3 months, however when complex can potentially balloon out to 4 to 6 months. PAG work hard across the process to minimise that timeline.

Before You Buy The Land

If you think you’ve found the perfect place for a Bed and Breakfast, Planning Approval Group recommend having a Development Potential Health Check carried out before making the purchase. This check, carried out by our qualified and experienced team, provides you with all the critical planning information about the property, including what codes it is impacted by, whether it is suitable (code or impact assessment), and other advisory comments.

Kickstart your Bed and Breakfast development by booking your initial appointment with Renee TODAY to discuss the services available for your project!

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Cattle Feedlot Approvals in Queensland

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 03:06:56 GMT

Cattle plays a massive part of Queensland's agricultural industry and economy. With the need for cattle feedlots growing, Planning Approval Group have obtained approvals for numerous feedlot projects across Queensland. Need feedlot approval? Here is what you need to know.

Feedlots and Environmental Approvals

When submitting a feedlot development application for approval, it can be a little more time consuming than many people anticipate. Where a lot of development applications may only deal with local Council, approval for a cattle feedlot can involve meeting legislative requirements of multiple State Government agencies.

One prime example is an Environmental Authority (EA) . Cattle Feedlots exceeding 150 standard cattle units (SCU) are considered an Environmentally Relevant Activity (ERA) under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 and so require an Environmental Authority approved by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

In addition, many farms are situated along state-controlled roads and railway corridors, others may have threatened species of flora or fauna, and some may have critical wetlands and waterways. These, and others, can require submissions of applications with the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) .

This is why it is recommended that a town planner be hired to carry out the application process. WPG have the connections, knowledge, and experience to know exactly what needs to be addressed and how best to address it.

Our process for feedlot approval is:

Initial consultation with WPG - we get to know your project inside and out, getting to know all those critical details that are required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and to have the process explained.
Sub-Contractor Consultations - on your behalf, WPG arrange supporting material, such as plans and reports, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
Pre-Lodgement Meetings with Council and State Government Agencies - These meetings are organised and hosted by WPG to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
Site Visit with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) - This visit establishes further site-specific requirements for the development application and environmental authority of the feedlot.
Preparation and Submission of the Development Application - WPG consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a concise and detailed development application that addresses all government department and Council legislation.
Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) - the development application will provide responses to specific codes provided by the Council and SARA, which each will assess.
Submission of Environmental Authority Application - Relevant paperwork will be submitted to DAF for assessment and issue of an Environmental Authority.
Public Notification Period - if your project is identified as requiring public notification (usually when an impact assessment), this will be a short period during which the community is notified of the development and allowed to provide feedback that may impact your approval or approval conditions.
Decision Stage - Information Requests and Decision Notices will be issued, potentially with site- or project-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval.

The Feedlot Approval Timeline

This process requires a lot of paperwork! There are forms to fill, Council and State Government fees to calculate and pay, designs to be prepared, technical reports to create, and the final Development Application report to write so that it sets out a clear assessment against the relevant codes and requirements.

Sound like a bit much? Leave it up to WPG to take care of it all for you! The approximate timeline for approval is as follows:

Preparation of the application - this may take around 4-8 weeks, depending on the level of technical requirements and difficulty.
Assessment of the application - as this is a complex application, the Council could take approximately 6 months to assess it, however its recommended to allow around 8 or 9 months as extensions to the timeline can occur depending on whether the Council issues an Information Request or an appeal needs to be lodged.
Assessment of the Environmental Authority application - this is, thankfully, a faster process. The reporting requirements are carried out by WPG, where practicable, while working on the development assessment. Once lodged and a confirmation is received that the application has been properly made, DAF can take up to 10 days to provide approval.

As a whole, the process could take as much as 9-12 months, variables dependent - WPG work hard to minimise that timeline!

Feedlot Approval Supporting Information

The most common supporting documentation required for a feedlot development application is:

Detailed Site Plans - these are prepared by a specialist consultant that will also help identify the best location based on the planning and environmental constraints.
Traffic Impact Assessment Report - these are prepared by a civil engineer and assess the impact that the feedlot could have on the surrounding transport network, identifying reasonable mitigation measures to address these impacts.
Stormwater and Effluent Management Plans - these are prepared by Agricultural Engineers to identify stormwater and effluent impacts and design mitigation measures to minimise and control impacts.
Natural Disaster Management Plans - If your property is identified on State and local mapping as having bushfire or flood risks associated with it, a management plan may be required. This can be organised by your town planner and/or a specialist consultant.

Things To Consider For Your Feedlot

Whilst the requirements for a feedlot will depend on the regulations tied to the specific site, there are still some important standard questions to consider, including:

Is your site suited to the capacity of SCU you have planned?
Do you have access to sufficient water on-site ?
How will effluents and run-off be dealt with?
What are the access routes and are new ones required?
Where will the trucks be travelling to and from?
Will this development increase traffic to site?
Will there be additional people on-site to consider in disaster management plans?
Are there regulated vegetations, at-risk species of wildlife, or waterways on the property?

Town Planners Who Know Their Feedlots

Approvals for feedlots require a true understanding of the business, the industry and the region. Planning Approval Group and Wall Planning Group was established in Clermont, Central Queensland, and remained a part of that community for over a decade. In fact, our Director Renee Wall lived and worked on a cattle property - you don't get more "in the know" than that!

Kickstart your cattle feedlot development by booking your initial appointment with Renee TODAY to discuss the services available for your feedlot project.

This article was originally posted on the Wall Planning Group insights website.

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Is Your Brisbane Development RiskSMART Eligible?

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:43:45 GMT

A development application can often take two months or more to achieve approval – ever wished you could cut that time right down? If you are developing within the Brisbane City Council local government area, you could be eligible for their ultimate time saver - RiskSMART!

What is RiskSMART?

RiskSMART is the fast-tracking development approval process in Brisbane City Council that focusses on development projects that are considered low risk and easily assessable.

To be considered Low Risk and RiskSMART suitable you must:

Be Code assessable (the development suits the zone);
Comply with the eligible development type criteria;
Comply with City Plan 2014;
Meets the ‘Well Made Checklist’ Criteria;
Utilise the RiskSMART planning report template; and
Have fees paid in full.

How Long Does RiskSMART Approval Take?

Whilst a standard development would usually take approximately 2 months or more, depending on compliance and requirements, a RiskSMART application will be assessed within 10 business days from the date Council accepts the lodgement as ‘properly made’ .

All Councils require development applications be properly made. Once the application is lodged, before it can be assessed, the Council will check that all required documentation is provided and correctly completed. Once this has been determined, a confirmation notice is issued and the assessment period begins. Standard confirmation periods are up to 5 business days.

What Is the RiskSMART Eligibility Criteria?

Whilst the specifics are dependent on the development itself, the base eligibility criteria are laid out in the table below:

Is There More to It?

There are definitely further specific eligibility criteria associated with each eligible type of development listed above. In general, these are that the development complies with all aspects of the associated zone, development, use, and overlay codes.

Council Pre-Assessment is often recommended, prior to completing and lodging the assessment and can be a very useful tool for making sure the application is properly made.

Additionally, having a qualified and experienced town planner put together and manage your application will ensure that things are done right, done fast, and done easy the first time.

More information can be found on the Brisbane City Council RiskSMART website or by contacting Planning Approval Group .

I'd Like Some Assistance, Please!

Absolutely! We know RiskSMART and development approvals like the backs of our hands.

If it’s confusing, overwhelming, time consuming, or just plain boring then contact Planning Approval Group and organise for us to do it for you.

Stay Informed about key information that will make your development a success!

Give Me A Sign - Advertising Device Applications

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 05:16:37 GMT

Having a sign is part and parcel with owning a business. It’s not only a proud statement of who you are, but it’s also letting people know, “I am here! I have services and goods for you!”. So, with it being a bit of a “given”, did you know that most Councils will require a separate application for your sign? And did you know that a town planner can assist you with this?

What Counts As An Advertising Device?

What you call a sign may also be referred to as an Advertising Device by the local Council. Signs that generally need approval are those that advertise the business, such as awning signs, pylon signs and fence signs. Directional and general signs may not require approval, but this may depend on the Council and the specifics of the sign.

How Do I Know If My Sign Requires Approval?

Most Councils will incorporate this information either into their planning scheme or their general permits and building regulations. Some may even provide pages with information and links dedicated to signage and advertising device applications.

Examples of this is Brisbane City Council, whose Advertising Device guide can be found HERE , and Central Highlands Regional Council, whose Advertising Device guide can be found HERE .

Let’s delve into the above examples to discover what signage advertising devices require approval.

Central Highlands Regional Council provides a list of sign types that require approval and also refers to the ‘advertising devices code’ – this code is a part of the Central Highlands Regional Planning Scheme and provides illustrations and descriptions of the types of advertising devices. This code also stipulates specific acceptable limitations of each type of sign.

Brisbane City Council provide comprehensive information about advertising devices and whether yours would need an approval. This includes a quick 4-step form, a PDFs of advertising device types, permitted devices, and technical specifications.

How Do I Apply For Signage Approval?

Again, this will depend on the Council, but in general there are two ways you may be able to apply for Advertising Device Approval:

A Form - The Council may have forms set up specifically for this type of application. An example of this is Brisbane City Council, who have online forms for express and full applications; and
Development Application – particularly required when the Advertising Devices Code is built into the planning scheme; this is a common option in many Councils. Examples of this are Central Highlands Regional Council and Logan City Council.

Forms are generally quicker and easier, guiding you step by step through exactly what details and attached documents (such as design specifications and site plans) they need for the application.

Development Applications require a bit more work and are a more formal style of application. These applications are similar to other Development Applications and generally require a cover letter, a short formal report with details about the property and the application, and must address the codes specified as relevant in the Planning Scheme.

What If My Sign Is Already Up?

Sign already in place and just now realising it may need approval? That’s ok, your local Council should also have processes in place for existing advertising devices. Get in contact with your local Council to discuss the best approach to achieving approval.

Can I Get Some Assistance?

Absolutely! If it’s confusing, overwhelming, time consuming, or just plain boring then contact Planning Approval Group and organise for us to do it for you.

Planning Approval Beyond The Zones

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 23:59:21 GMT

So, you’ve got an amazing development planned and you’re ready to go! Residential in residential zone, commercial in commercial zone – all set for planning approval, right? Well, steady up, we’re going to dive a little further into Queensland’s local Council planning schemes to take a look at the finer codes that dictate the true suitability of your development.

The Planning Codes That Govern Your Development

In most Queensland local Council planning schemes, you’ll find the following types of codes:

Zone Codes – such as medium-density residential, centre, low impact industrial, and agricultural;
Development Codes – such as reconfiguring a lot, general development, and landscaping;
Use Codes – such as childcare centre, home-based business, extractive industry, and residential care facility;
Overlay Codes – such as airport, biodiversity, flood hazard, and bushfire.

Zone Codes

These are the codes most commonly known to people – they are the division of a town or region into sections that are dedicated to particular types of development, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, community, and recreation.

Your zone code is your starting point when determining the suitability of a development, it narrows down the field so that the developer can then drill down into the other codes.

Development Codes

These are the codes that dictate, generally, how the development is carried out and what standards must be met, such as earthworks, fill, emissions, landscaping, traffic flow, and infrastructure. Development codes won’t commonly rule out a particular type of development, however they provide strict guidelines for the development to adhere to.

Use Codes

Use Codes are the codes that govern specific ‘uses’. Some examples:

If you’re building an apartment complex, you may have to adhere to a multiple dwelling use code;

If you’re building a childcare centre, there may be a childcare use code to guide you;

If you’re building a service station, a service station use code may be in play.

These use codes dictate what the council expects from that specific type of development, looking at things like emissions, staff and visitor ratios, car parking requirements, design guidelines, safety, and acceptable building materials.

Overlay Codes

These are similar to zone codes, in a way, just more specific. Instead of breaking a map down into sections of development type, the same map is broken down into areas affected by specific hazards and requirements. These areas, called overlays (because, once upon a time, they were literally maps that would lay over each other), can cross over and affect multiple zones. Some examples are (but not limited to):

Certain areas of a region will have been identified as particularly prone to bushfires or flooding and so will need to address a Bushfire or Flood Hazard Overlay code – these can be broken down further within the code to correspond to risk levels;

Biodiversity overlay codes can apply to areas that have natural environmental features such as waterways, wetlands, and protected vegetation and fauna – this code can often dictate exactly how the building needs to be designed, what size it can be, what uses are prohibited, and additional protocols that will need to be implemented if you do develop the site;

Airport Environs overlay codes are not just about the airport grounds and surrounding air space, but also the uses and developments surrounding the airport, often up to 10km – this code determines how high your building can be, what sort of emissions are prohibited, what building materials to use to avoid things like reflections, and what uses are prohibited such as those that attract birds.

Determining Relevant Codes

So with all these codes to filter through, how do you know which ones apply to you? Here’s a basic 2-step approach:

Check the maps – on your council’s website, you will find the planning scheme with mapping (or an eplan and online mapping system). Look at the maps, find your property on each to discover what zone you are dealing with and what overlays affect the property;
Tables of Assessment – this section of the planning scheme tabulates what types of development are specifically assessable or prohibited in each zone and what development and use codes apply to that development. Look up the zone, find the definition that matches your development and check out the results.

Chat to the Town Planning Professionals

Got a project in mind but want to be absolutely sure it ticks all the boxes? Book your initial consultation with Planning Approval Group today and kickstart that development with peace of mind.

The Regional Plan Overhaul and Your Development

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 02:09:19 GMT

In late 2022, the Queensland Government kicked off their Regional Planning Forward Program , undertaking rigorous reviews of many of the state’s regional plans. All regional plans dated more than 5 years ago will be under careful scrutiny to determine whether they still hold up against the current economic climate and the needs of their regions. But what if they don’t meet needs? And what does it mean for your development?

What is the review and is it important?

The Regional Planning Forward Program is undertaken by Queensland’s Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, who will “undertake a fit-for-purpose review of ten regional plans comprising of key elements that can be tailored to respond to region specific challenges and opportunities. The reviews will adopt a coordinated approach aligning economic drivers, infrastructure priorities and land use planning to deliver a more efficient regional planning program.” (Source: Department of State Development)

Is this review important? Yes, without a doubt.

When it comes to developing strategies, it’s best never to assume that the goal posts will be frozen and unchanged over time. Whilst it is absolutely necessary to identify the goal posts and how to reach them, it’s equally important to monitor the goal posts and ask questions such as:

Are those goal posts still suited to the needs of the region?
Have any needs changed in recent times?
Is the direction being taken still the most effective?
How have our actions impacted other aspects of the region’s growth and development?

Think of the recent economic turmoil, particularly with regards to the housing crisis. Think of differences in climate – in the past few years we’ve been flung from drought and devastating bushfires straight into La Nina and repeated flooding. A lot has changed and continues to change, so do the current regional plans take these things into account?

What is the purpose of a Regional Plan?

A Regional Plan is the vision, goal posts, and guidelines that govern growth and development within a specific region. Queensland is a vast and diverse state, making it too difficult to plan and legislate from the one broad document.

The needs of Central Queensland will vary greatly from those of Far North Queensland or South East Queensland. And so, drawing from state legislation, each of the thirteen regions devises a strategy that is unique to the needs of the region, its communities, its industries, and its people.

A regional plan looks at the region’s:

Statistics, such as its population, economy, and settlements;
Nominated outcomes and the policies to achieve them;
Infrastructure, both existing and opportunities to improve and develop;
State Interests, which guide local government legislation, such as housing, environment, and natural hazards;
Priority Living Areas (PLA); and
Priority Agricultural Areas (PAA).

All this information is pulled together through thorough research and consultation to produce a detailed overview of the region and the requirements that must be addressed to ensure continued strength and growth in economies, infrastructure, agriculture and industries.

What effect does a Regional Plan have on the local planning legislation?

If you’ve ever developed or at least looked into developing, you’ll have likely come across your local Council’s Planning Scheme. This is the locally developed legislation, or codes, that govern where you can develop and what you can develop. It assigns zones and carefully orchestrates the overlapping overlays, such as flood hazard or airport environs, that also affect a development.

Breaking the state down into regions is still a very broad approach to legislating and so these regions are further broken down into the Local Government Areas, or Councils, that we area all familiar with. Along with the State’s Planning Act, the vision and strategy developed in the regional plan trickles down into the local legislation, providing key criteria and regulatory requirements that must be addressed within the planning scheme.

What happens if the regional plan is newer than the planning scheme?

A great deal of work goes into writing a planning scheme, which is why they can often still be in use up to a decade after their release. It’s difficult to expect that a new one be miraculously written to match a new regional plan – it’s not uncommon for these things to simply not align!

In the instance that a regional plan was created after a planning scheme, the specific requirements within a regional plan trump those of the planning scheme. That’s why town planners always check the regional plan before addressing the local planning scheme. The most current legislation wins!

How does this affect my development?

If you’ve been researching a potential development but not actively seeking approval, you may suddenly find that your development is potentially no longer suited to the land you have earmarked for it.

Whilst some special circumstances may allow for assessment against superseded legislation, this would be rare and certainly not something to bank on! All the more reason to leap into action, before new regional plans are in place.

Chat to the Town Planning professionals!

Got a project in mind but want to be absolutely sure it ticks all the boxes? Book your initial consultation with Planning Approval Group today and kickstart that development with peace of mind.

Managing Property Development Risk

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 04:40:51 GMT

Managing Property Development Risk

When you’re thinking about developing a property, your head can be filled with questions and concerns that can either sway you toward or away from the idea. Lump all those questions and concerns together and what your brain is really trying to do is assess RISK. We’ve got great news for you - the planning process is all about managing risk and navigating the questions and concerns! So, how about we take a closer look at how a town planner assesses your proposed development to minimise property development risks.

The Major Property Development Risk Categories

Property development, as you probably know, is not without risks. The government red tape alone can be what makes a seemingly viable project unviable.

The major risks to consider when developing a property are:

Regulation and Legislation;
Costs;
Timeframes; and
Stakeholders and Community.

In the next few sections, you’ll notice that each one of these risks can affect the others; with timeline delays potentially increasing costs, legislation affecting both costs and timeline, and stakeholders and community having a potentially profound affect across the board. Let’s take a closer look at these risk categories and how we can minimise risk through smart development risk management.

Managing Regulation and Legislation

Regulation and Legislation is probably one of the biggest risks to contend with when developing a property, in part because it actually ties into the costs and timeframes of a project. Unfortunately, it’s never as simple as, “This agricultural setting is ideal for a Bed & Breakfast, let’s set it up here!” . Where and how you can develop is tightly controlled by your local planning scheme, regional plan, and state legislation.

If we continue with the agricultural property example and the B&B, here are handful of examples of what you could come up against with regulations and legislation:

The property may be within the regional plan’s Priority Agricultural Area (PAA), which can restrict what is uses are allowed on that land – it may be strictly for agricultural purposes only;
The local council’s planning scheme may have precincts with strict codes that differ to the standard Agricultural codes of the planning scheme;
There may be a limit on how many dwellings can be on the property;
There may be tourism restrictions for that zone;
And so on.

How do we deal with this risk?

This is where town planners are an essential part of the de-risking process. When you hire a town planner, you hire someone familiar with the legislation, jargon, government departments, and requirements. Town planners can be used in two ways to de-risk the legislative side of your development project:

1. They can carry out a site investigation that quickly identify obstacles for your development project before you get in too deep; and

2. They can be used to identify available land within a specified area that would be most suited with lowest risk.

Is it the end once obstacles are identified? Absolutely not. A great part of the de-risking process, for a project that may not strictly conform, is to attend a pre-lodgement meeting with the planning department of your local council (or relevant State department if required) to identify any possible angles to get the development through and accepted. Whilst never a guarantee of approval, it’s great for weighing up your options and risks before you sink too much into a development.

Managing Costs

Without a doubt, cost is always the one risk at the front of every developer’s mind. You can be as passionate as you want about a project, but budget is essential and you want to circumvent any unnecessary costs to maximise profits.

The town planning process deals primarily with the infrastructure fees and charges and the application fees associated with getting council approval for a development project.

How do we deal with this risk?

At the time of completing a site investigation, a town planner can identify council fees and charges that will be applicable to the development. This can be provided as a part of the fee proposal, allowing a developer to crunch more accurate numbers before committing to a project.

Additionally, a town planner can identify, as a part of the application report, what specific requirements there are for the development that could potentially affect building costs down the track. For example, there could be a requirement for things like particularly high fencing and screening, specialised flood event reports, or extensive buffer landscaping that might add to the estimated costs of a project.

By identifying these issues early on in the process, risks can be assessed before fully committing to a development and potentially a massive financial outlay.

Managing Timeframes

No matter how relaxed a developer might seem, timeframes do inevitably matter. Timeframes are woven throughout every aspect of your development, right from the development application phase, with every road block potentially costing a developer money.

Some common and important development application timeframe issues that should be noted are:

Getting your application in may be time-sensitive due to particular local government incentives or to keep ahead of specific economic forecasts;
The application process has strict timelines through to the decision, not only for the council to rubber stamp the application but also for the applicant to respond to information requests;
The development approval received is finite – if you don’t start the development in time, you may have to reapply and pay the fees and charges all over again;
Public notification will add time to the approval of your application; and
Decision appeals will also add costly time to the application process.

How do we deal with this risk?

The preparatory work that a town planner does, before commencing work on the application, is to quickly assess the type of development against the relevant codes. This allows the town planner to advise on the likelihood of hold ups, rejections, and need for appeals.

By predicting potential issues for your development, it allows for a better tailored report to be constructed and case to be put forward. It also prepares the developer for any anticipated timeline roadblocks, allowing them to budget the time and money required.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Managing Stakeholders and Community

This risk category comes into play for three main reasons:

The development is determined to be Impact assessable in the planning scheme and so requires public notification periods;
The development is a part of a major project that may affect surrounding sensitive uses and requires careful management of stakeholders and community; and
The developer would like public feedback to help shape and strengthen the application.

Have you heard the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen”? Well, this can be true of stakeholder and community involvement in a development. Whilst a certain amount of involvement may be a requirement for the development, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the more people involved in the development project, the higher chance it has of taking longer and perhaps even costing more than originally budgeted.

How do we deal with this risk?

Believe it or not, town planners are quite often involved in community and stakeholder engagement, particularly in the instances mentioned above whereby public notification or community consultation is a requirement.

A town planner will create and facilitate a strategic engagement management plan to meet requirements and inform a project, ensuring that community and stakeholders are heard whilst still maintaining a tight deadline (and budget!).

De-Risk Your Property Development Today!

Got a project in mind and want to ensure property development risks are professionally, efficiently, and carefully managed? Book your initial consultation with Planning Approval Group today and kickstart that development with peace of mind.

Why You Need A Town Planner

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:02:32 GMT

You’ve made the decision to start a development project, so it’s time to get stuck in and start the development application with your local council. But, where do you even start? It can all be a bit overwhelming, which is why a Town Planner is such a critical part of the process.

Let’s take a closer look at why you need a Town Planner .

WHAT DO TOWN PLANNERS DO?

Town and Urban Planning is an industry whose role is often misunderstood. Whilst there is some truth to the belief that the role of town planners is to plan out cities and infrastructure, such as roads, this particular aspect of town planning is specific to those working directly with local councils and government agencies, which is actually only a small portion of the professional Town Planners out there.

Town Planners in the private sector have far more varied functions and are even broken down into Town, Urban, and Regional planning. Here are some of the most common functions of a town planner:

Development Applications (commencing a development project)
Social Impact Assessments (how a large scale or complex project will affect a community)
Community Consultations (research and focus groups for a project)
Urban Design (creation and management of community infrastructure)

Now let’s focus on the most common function – Development Applications .

WHEN IS A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION REQUIRED?

According to Queensland planning legislation, Planning Act 2016, a Development Application may be required when you want to develop per the following:

Reconfiguring a lot (subdivision);
Material Change of Use (assessing change of the use of the property);
Building work;
Plumbing and drainage work; and
Operational work.

WHAT IS THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION PROCESS?

The Queensland Department of Local Government, Infrastructure and Planning (DILGP) outline the core steps in the Development Application process as:

Step One: Refer to the Planning Act, local government planning scheme, and other relevant planning documents, to determine what type of development you are undertaking:

Assessable Development (approval required before you can begin work);
Accepted Development (identified as accepted as it does not need to comply with any code or other requirements); or
Prohibited (development or use that is deemed prohibited under the local planning scheme).

Step Two: If your development is an assessable development, it’s time to pinpoint what kind of assessment is required. This could be either Code Assessment (fits the local planning scheme) or Impact Assessment (does not fit the local planning scheme). Both types will require a Development Application.

Step Three: Complete the development application and submit it to your Local Government Authority. The local council may request further, more specific, information once the application is lodged. Impact Assessment Applications may also require public notifications in this stage.

Step Four: The local council will issue a Decision Notice. This is the approval or non-approval of your development and may include special conditions that must be carried out.

TOWN PLANNERS ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOME

Put simply, with a town planner you won’t have to muddle through all the legislation and processes yourself. A town planner has the knowledge and skills to:

Assess your development and advise on development application requirements;
Navigate and understand local and state planning schemes and legislation;
Apply the relevant sections of the schemes and legislation to your development and property;
Create a comprehensive and concise development application;
Manage the application, requests for information, and negotiations to achieve the best outcome for your development project;
Liaise with local councils, government agencies, and the community as a part of the process; and
Explain any intricacies and issues whilst guiding you through the process.

Head over here to read more about development applications and town planning. Contact us today to get the best outcome for your development.

Dealing With Show Cause Notices And Development Offence Notices

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:02:29 GMT

“HELP! I have received a Development Offence Notice from Council.”

Understandably this may cause a few sleepless nights, not to mention confusion with regard to the actual offence committed – it can be difficult to understand what went wrong. It could be a number of things. Perhaps:

You erected a structure that you didn’t think required approval as it seemed so ‘small scale’?
Or you purchased a property with an existing non-compliant development?
Or a specific aspect of a development differs from that which was Approved by Council?

While the planning jargon can often lead to more confusion, it’s important to relax and remember that your local town planner can help you.

Council may issue a show cause and enforcement notices for matters relating to the Building Act 1975 and the Planning Act 2016. For example, if building work has been carried out without an approval, a Material Change of Use of land has occurred without a development approval or Council has become aware of a breach of development conditions. Generally, for non-urgent or non-dangerous matters, a show cause notice will be issued prior to an enforcement notice.

What is a Show Cause Notice?

A Show Cause Notice is usually the first step in Council’s enforcement process for alleged development offences. The notice sets out Councils understanding of the alleged response and invites you to respond to Council.

The response or representations will then be considered with the facts and circumstances in determining if an enforcement notice is to be issued. If the show cause notice process is managed properly you may be able to circumvent Council from issuing an Enforcement Notice.

What Should I Do?

It is important not to panic and remember that Council have a duty of care to take particular actions to protect the health, safety and amenity of the community.

Step 1: Ensure that you respond to the Show Cause Notice within the response period, which is a minimum of 20 business days from receipt of the notice.

Step 2: If you cannot take steps to remedy the non-compliance and provide a response to Council, it is advised that you engage a Town Planner or Property Lawyer to investigate and provide guidance on your rights, investigate the alleged breach and respond to Council.

The key here is communication. Our advice is to speak to Council as soon as possible to understand the alleged breach. Professional advice is often required. Your town planning consultant will know who to speak to and how best to approach the situation. When providing a response, you are encouraged to provide supporting information, which will assist Council in determining if they should take further action.

One option to resolve the breach could be to submit a Development Application and obtain Development Approval from Council. It is important to obtain advice on the likelihood of obtaining approval, based on the development constraints, zoning or the condition of the works carried out.

Seeking professional advice is recommended. A professional town planner will be able to determine the issue and how best to address it. They will have the contacts and knowledge to know who to speak to and how to resolve the issue.

What is an Enforcement Notice?

An Enforcement Notice is a statutory notice which requires you to take particular actions to remedy an offence within a required time frame. The notice provides you with an opportunity to consider your options and resolve the matter in a timely way.

What if I don’t Comply with the Enforcement Notice?

Failing to comply with an enforcement notice could lead to:

Fines being issued (if the non-compliance is ongoing). The maximum fine is just over $600,000;
Legal proceedings commencing; and/ or
Council carrying out the work and then recovering the cost from you.

If the enforcement items are not resolved, you could face a fine or legal proceedings via the Planning & Environment Court. In order to avoid a Show Cause or Enforcement Notice, speak to a private town planner early on and, if possible, prior to undertaking any building works.

Need help with a Show Cause or Enforcement Notice? Have more questions? Please speak to Planning Approval Group today – we are more than happy to help!

What if Council Refuse My Application?!!

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:01:55 GMT

What if Council refuse my Development Application??? Well it hasn’t happened to us yet….and we sure hope that it doesn’t! In fact we will make sure that it doesn’t. In all seriousness, the way we work is that we let our clients know upfront, BEFORE they spend any money on making a Development Application and paying any Council fees.

We work to provide you with upfront advice and only pursue an approval on your behalf when we are confident that we have a good case. We determine prior to paying any serious cash whether Council is likely to approve your Development Application and flag the costs and likely requirements at the beginning of your project.

We might recommend a pre-application meeting with Council before submitting the development application to discuss any issues or concerns, which reduces the risk that the application will be held up or denied.

Your Town Planner, particularly when they have local knowledge and insights into your local government area, will have an insight into the likely success of your Development Application or project.

A solution-focused, qualified town planner can help you to maximise your profits and avoid costly mistakes - and the big, red council stamp saying “DECLINED”.

At Planning Approval Group, the first chat is always complimentary – just a part of the service. If things look good, we talk about how to move forward from there. Contact us today to book your first appointment!

Queensland's Local Government Development Incentive Schemes

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 07:13:39 GMT

With the Queensland economy in bit of a constant state of flux since the whole Covid debacle began, developers may be pleased to learn that development and growth-focussed local government areas (LGA’s) may have incentive schemes in place for those keen to develop.

Generally, these incentive schemes are geared toward specific types of developments, primarily commercial, that will invest in and support the region through the building of new businesses and provision of jobs, however other incentive schemes may be applicable to residential developments and the development of community group facilities.

How Can I Benefit From Development Incentive Schemes?

Development incentive schemes can be what makes your planned development financially viable. The more obvious incentives, such as discounts or fee waivers, can make a tremendous difference to getting a project off the ground, but don’t dismiss the lesser financially-driven incentives including deferred fee payment, accelerated assessment, and concessions on other related council services. These can be incredibly beneficial toward the success of development applications, easing financial strains and improving your development timeline.

How Do I Find Out About Available Incentive Schemes?

This will depend entirely on the Council, however through our own research we’ve found these the best and most obvious places on LGA websites to find information about development incentive schemes:

Scroll down the home page – sometimes when it’s a new thing or a big deal, they’ll advertise it there;
Scan through the media releases over the past 1-2 years on their media/news page;
Check the Fees & Charges page – sometimes when it’s financial discount incentives it can be mentioned there;
Look for an “invest” page – often these incentive schemes are a part of their ‘invest in the region’ strategies;
Check out the Planning and/or Development section of the website;
Literally just search the term ‘incentive’ – the only reason this isn’t the ONLY option to use is because if they don’t call it an incentive scheme, it won’t find it;
Look through the menus for anything that looks possible – yep, the classic last-ditch effort!

Still can’t see anything there? Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, it could be well hidden – it never hurts to make contact with the Council to ask about available incentive schemes.

What Are The Known Incentive Schemes in QLD?

Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting have dug through the websites of all 77 LGA’s in Queensland to find the incentive schemes available so that you don’t have to!

That said, to be certain that there are or aren’t incentive schemes available to you, it’s best for you to check the LGA’s website for updates or directly contact the Council to get it straight from the source.

At present (August 2022), there are known development incentive schemes available in the following LGA’s:

Brisbane City Council
Bundaberg Regional Council
Cairns Regional Council
Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Central Highlands Regional Council
Goondiwindi Regional Council
Mackay Regional Council
Maranoa Regional Council
Redland City Council
Rockhampton Regional Council
Toowoomba Regional Council

Grab your PDF copy of the available incentive schemes, with direct links included, HERE .

Can You Get Help Applying?

Absolutely! Wall Planning can integrate the incentive application into the development application process, ensuring that all paperwork is submitted at the same time, cross-referenced, and exactly where it needs to be.

Get in contact today to book your 20-minute initial consultation!

Our Favourite Online Tools For A Successful Remote Business

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 07:13:39 GMT

The internet has become a critical business tool that has resulted in worldwide access to services, products, and information. This accessibility, along with rapid innovation, has created a commercial environment that allows remote teams to flourish. Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting is one of the many remote businesses that rely on online tools to provide quality services and meet deadlines.

We thought we would share some of the terrific online tools we use and take a look at how they help our business and how understanding our own needs has helped us find what works.

How Do We Know Exactly What We Need?

When you start a business, it’s hard to know everything you need from the get go. It’s once you settle into patterns, start developing standard operating procedures, and muck around a bit with the multitude of online tools that you get an idea of what you need.

It’s a different story for every business and business owner. With so many options out there, it just takes a little trial and error to find what works best for you. As a starting point, here are your most common types of online tool:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Project Management
Digital Marketing
Design & Publication
Team Collaboration

Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, software is used to manage relationships with customers through streamlined processes and communication tracking to ensure business relationships are nurtured and leads aren’t dropped. It’s a one-stop-shop for all your business contact details, notes, and workflow processes to make sure the needs of customers and stakeholders are met each step of the way.

Project Management

Project Management, or PM, software is a must have for any business. This software is used to track a project and its individual tasks from beginning to end to help ensure deadlines are met and everything that needs to be done IS done.

Digital Marketing

This section really covers a broad spectrum of different software available out there, but we’ve included it to highlight how differently things can be done to suit a business.

We doubt this recommendation will be a revelation – it’s insane (and yet not) that Canva has become such a wildly popular and widely used design tool. Suddenly, small businesses are able to produce high quality posters, flyers, business cards and other publications when hiring a graphic designer isn’t a viable option. And it’s just so fun!

Aside from standard marketing publications, we also use Canva to create images for our newsletters, social media, website and blog articles. Recently, we started using Canva to create reports that require a lot of images and design features, such as Master Plan Reports. This allows us to provide something more dynamic that our clients can share with their stakeholders.

Did you know you can even create some merchandise on Canva, too??

Team Collaboration

Team Collaboration isn’t a specific type of software, however having a variety of platforms available for sharing information with other team members is a critical part of running a remote team.

Our Successful Remote Team

With the help of some fantastic online collaborative tools, our experienced and motivated team can provide high quality, well planned, and timely services in:

Town Planning
Master Plans
Social Impact Assessments
Community & Stakeholder Engagement
Environmental Planning

Writing a Development Application? Here's the Process!

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 01:58:18 GMT

Writing a Development Application for a property in Queensland? Fantastic! Do you know the process and what to expect at each stage? Eliminate surprises and timeline fatigue with this handy 4-Step walkthrough of the Queensland development application process.

Step 1: Consulting a Town Planner

Consulting a Town Planner is the smart way to kick off a Development Application (DA) for a number of reasons:

They know their stuff and can navigate and advise on legislation and planning requirements;
They can provide a cost estimate that includes fees from council and other bodies;
They can provide an initial assessment of the viability or ‘straightforwardness’ of the project; and
They can save you time and stress by just doing it all for you!

Can PAG do this for you? Absolutely! Contact us today for your 20-minute consultation and to request a fee proposal.

Step 2: The Development Application

Development Applications are actually made up of a series of forms and documents that are supplied to the local council and, if required, relevant state government bodies. Forms relating to development applications can be found on the Queensland Government State Development Planning website.

The mandatory form most commonly used is DA Form 1: Development Application Details, which provides the basic details of the property and the proposed development. Other forms may be required depending on the specifics of the development.

Along with the mandatory forms, the main development application document is the Development Application Planning Report.

You can usually find examples or templates for planning reports in the planning section of your local council’s website. Here is an example. This report can be quite lengthy and requires specific details of the property and the planned development, which are then presented against the relevant local and state planning codes.

How do you find the right codes? Well, here are the main legislative and planning sources that a Queensland town planner may refer to in a planning report:

The Planning Scheme of your local council, which outlines the zones, overlay codes, and strategic framework. Some examples are:
Brisbane City Plan 2014;
Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016;
The Regional Plan for the region your development is within;
The State Planning Policies that may require a referral to a state government body; and
The Economic Development Guidelines , for properties in Priority Development Areas.

In addition to addressing codes and legislation, some of the other important features identified in a Development Application are:

What type of development are you proposing (Reconfiguring a Lot or Material Change of Use)?
Does the development fit perfectly with the planning scheme (Code) or will it require a bit more research and ‘pitch’ (Impact)?
Does the application require referral to a state government body before being submitted to the local council?
Are the development plans suited to the surrounding properties, uses and infrastructure?

Once it’s all written and compiled, the development application is submitted to the local council and may also require submission to a state government body, depending on specifics of the property and development.

Unless otherwise specified by the council or legislative body, fees are also to be paid when submitting the application. Generally, assessment of the application will not begin until fees have been paid.

Can WPE do this for you? Yes! We can put together your development application from start to finish, utilising our considerable knowledge and experience of what is required and where to find it. How stress-free does that sound!

Step 3: Information Requests

Now that your Development Application has been submitted, the waiting game begins. It’s never an instantaneous process, no matter how accurate your report might be. Along with typical application volume waiting periods, a lot of consideration by the council goes into the assessment to ensure that what is proposed meets requirements and is appropriate to its location.

(It’s also important to note that submissions to state government bodies can further slow down the assessment application process.)

Before a decision will be formally made, you may receive a Request for Information from the council. This is generally for information that may have been missed or that may be required additionally for your proposed development to align with the codes.

In the instance of an assessment requiring public notification, this is the point where the notification is often carried out and the results provided to the council.

There are strict deadlines associated with Information Request responses and once the response is received, the assessment process can continue.

Can PAG do this for you? Yes! Don’t sweat it, we’ll get that information together quick smart.

Step 4: Decision Notice and Appeal

Upon completion of assessment, the council will issue a Decision Notice that states either approval or refusal of your proposed development.

Approvals can sometimes be accompanied by special conditions that must included in the development for it to meet legislative requirements. This may include criteria including specific infrastructure connection requirements and specifications for the look of the building. With or without conditions, with that Decision Notice – Approval, you’re good to go!

If you receive a Refusal , it’s not the absolute end of the process – you are able to appeal the Decision Notice. In fact, you can lodge an appeal regarding Special Conditions of Approvals as well if you believe that they are not relevant to the development.

Can PAG do this for you? Totally! We can assist with understanding decision notices, special conditions, and lodging appeals. In fact, we can help with all your planning needs – contact us today for your free 20-minute consultation and to request a fee proposal.

Scope of a Town Planner: The Surprising Services of WPE

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:03:02 GMT

When we think of town planning, we think of developments, street designs, and infrastructure, but delve a little deeper and you’ll discover that a town planner is far more involved in aspects of a community’s development than you realise. Let’s take a peek at the scope of a town planner and the surprising services of the Wall Planning Group of Companies .

Best Outcome For The Community

One of the more obvious aspects of town planning is the knowledge and use of local, state, and federal planning legislation. This does play a big role in everything we do, but the critical aspect of applying legislation is about knowing the community and how to make the legislation work for them to create vibrant, engaging, and useful spaces for the community to utilise for generations.

Knowing the community, its needs, and its relevant legislation – and then bringing it all together – is how best possible outcomes are achieved and why town planning services often extend beyond development applications and into community analytics and liaising. WPE, for instance, offers the following services:

Development Applications;
Social Impact Assessments;
Master Plans; and
Stakeholder Engagement.

Development Applications

Development Applications (DA) are the bread and butter of all town planners and can sometimes be intensely complex when new and unusual developments want to break the mould and innovate their place within a town’s strategic plan.

A development application report by a town planner takes into account every aspect of relevant legislation from local council planning schemes, state planning schemes, and various other government and regulatory bodies, including:

Transport legislation;
Fire and Emergency Services;
Australian Standards;
Infrastructure company regulations;
Environmental legislation; and
Civil design regulations and standards.

That legislative knowledge and ability to know what is required and where to find it is why town planner services are essential when submitting a development application to local council and state bodies.

Master Plans

Master Plans are most often created for local councils to create a sustainable, long-term plan for a large scale activity, such as the development of a precinct. Much like Social Impact Assessments, this is all about analysing and understanding the community to ensure the master plan is not only economically sustainable, but meets the communities needs now and for generations to come.

The Master Plan created is not only a visual plan but a strategic plan that sets out:

The site and community history;
Analysis the site and its users;
The objective, vision and principles of the Master Plan;
The site plan with proposed projects;
The projects within the Master Plan; and
Implementation, timeline, and costs.

This gives the council clear direction and timelines to obtain funding, set budgets, and carry out the development.

Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting are proud to have created the Master Plans for the Clermont Showgrounds and Saleyards, the Nebo Showgrounds, and the Fernvale Recreation Grounds.

Social Impact Assessments

A Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a tool that analyses, monitors, and manages the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, that an activity, company, or organisation has, or will have, on its communities.

Social impacts can include the increase or decrease of jobs, services, housing, and businesses within a community; however, the SIA also takes into account the less direct impacts such as housing market prices and economic patterns and how they will affect the community also.

The SIA gathers the critical data and variables to identify all the existing and potential impacts provides strategies to minimise negative impacts and nurture positive impacts. In Queensland, this tool is commonly associated with large industries such as mining when they come into or leave a community, but can be implemented across any industry and any type of ‘community’.

The targeted result – strength and sustainability within a community for the life of an activity and beyond.

WPE is proud to have developed Queensland’s first ever Social Impact Assessment for a mine closure on behalf of Glencore Clermont Mine.

Stakeholder Engagement

Who better to be involved in community and stakeholder engagement than someone who is already involved in the development of communities on so many levels?

The most common stakeholder engagement carried out by WPE is to do with major regional developments such as new mines, solar farms, and wind farms. Why a town planner? – Because they have the development legislation knowledge, the community contacts, and analytical tools to bridge the gap between project and community with the view to foster better communication.

Proper stakeholder engagement ensures the community is informed, heard, and understood, and then the engagement is analysed to identify impacts, barriers, and possible solutions that will suit both community and project.

Maintaining good communication through mediation and analytics helps to target the best possible outcome for each party.

WPE are proud to have assisted with stakeholder and community engagement on projects including Epuron Wind Farms and Solar Farms and Adani Solar Farms.

WPE and Queensland Communities

Planning Approval Group's parent company, Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting, is a company born in regional Queensland from domestic and international experience, which today services the state of Queensland from city to country. We understand each community and their uniqueness.

Our expert team, located across the state, has the knowledge and experience to get the best possible outcomes for your community and projects. To engage with the community, engage with us first – contact PAG today!

Don't Wait. Why Your QLD Development Needs To Start Now.

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:02:42 GMT

Have you been tossing around an idea in your mind about what you’d like to do with a property you own or a development that you’d like to see happen one day? Well, there’s a really good reason why waiting isn’t necessarily your best option. Let’s take a look at why planning and applications for your development need to start now and what you’ll need to get it right.

Money Matters

When considering a new development or changes to an existing property, 99% of the time the top concern is finances. Absolutely understandable, however, we’re here to tell you that waiting may just make things more expensive for you and impede the viability of your project.

Traditionally, businesses carry out fee increases at the beginning of the financial year – and your local council is no different. We are anticipating increases to local council development application fees at the beginning of the financial year, so now is the time to jump in and get things started.

In addition to this, some local councils have been offering incentives such as covid relief discounts and, as we progress through the pandemic and adjust, these incentives are quickly drying up.

With the application process potentially taking months, let’s kick off your development and get planning!

Development Applications – What You Need

Our top recommendation when planning a development is BE ORGANISED! Make sure you’ve got everything you need, have researched carefully, and have all your ducks in a row.

Whilst the requirements for a development can vary depending on things like location, council processes, and type of development, the base requirements are:

Owner’s Consent
Property and Title Search;
Survey Plans;
Planning scheme maps;
Planning scheme codes;
Other state codes relevant to your development;
A development application form.

A Property and Title Search and Survey Plans can be obtained through Titles Queensland, who manage the land and water titles registries for the state of Queensland. There will be fees associated with obtaining this information.

Planning Scheme Codes and Maps will be found in the “Planning” section of your local council’s website. You will need to assess which maps are relevant to your property and these will help indicate what codes your development must address. The Planning Scheme will indicate if Other State Codes are relevant to your development.

Development Application Forms and guides for development planning can be found on the State Development website.

The Development Application Process

This process can be lengthier than people anticipate and may require repeated liaising with the local council’s planning department throughout the process.

Check out our 5-Step Development Application Process! ------->

Stress Less – Planning Approval Group Have Got You!

If the requirements have your head swimming or you simply don’t have the time, Planning Approval Group have got you covered!

PAG’s team of professional, highly experienced town planners will get your Material Change of Use and Subdivision (Reconfigure A Lot) applications from Go to Woah. Our team the planners of choice for metropolitan, regional, and rural planning across Queensland.

Time is running out! Chat with Renee and the team to have your development planning kickstarted by March to take advantage of the current development application fees before increases are implemented!

5 Important Questions For Your Town Planner

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:02:41 GMT

You’re about to kickstart your development and have decided to employ a town planner to handle the application – good choice! So … what now? What questions should you ask your town planner?

For a first development, it’s certainly not unusual to feel a little lost. What does an application entail? What am I supposed to do? Where do I even start? Hence the town planner! We thought we’d offer some important questions to ask your town planner that will help you understand the process and also serve as an ‘ice breaker’, creating stronger communication between developer and planner.

Important tip: Don’t just stick to the five questions! Ask as many questions as you need answered. Having the developer onboard, understanding, and at ease with the application is a key element of the town planner creating a successful application.

So, without further ado, here are the 5 Important Questions to Kickstart a Successful Development Project:

1. “What can you do for me and what is the application process?”

Far and away the most critical question to ask is, ‘what can you do for me and what is the application process?’. Asking your town planner what they DO is a bit of a no-brainer and will help you get your head around things like:

What role the town planner plays;
What is required for a successful development application;
What the actual development application process is; and
What can I divert my attention away from to focus on other important aspects of the development?

The truth of it is, putting together a development application can be overwhelming. There is a lot of legislation to research, documentation to gather, data to provide, and stringent processes to follow. This is the perfect opportunity to get your head around it all!

2. “What can you tell me about the council and its attitude towards development projects?”

Asking about the council and its attitude toward development is a bit of a ‘two birds one stone’ question.

It’s always good to know what you’re up against and get an idea right from the get-go exactly what standards must be met and how your development may be welcomed by the local council.

It’s also good to know whether your town planner is familiar with, or had dealings with, that local council. Whilst it’s definitely not the end of the world if they’ve not, a town planner with experience dealing with that particular council is a powerful tool. After all, they’ll likely know the people to talk to, the way the council likes their applications, and just how to smooth the way for a more successful development.

That’s a reduction in risk right from the start.

3. “How long does the development application process take?”

When you ask how long a development application takes, you’ll always get a ballpark or a ‘best case, worst case’ estimation. The thing is, every development is different.

Every business has its own uniqueness and every property can be governed by different pieces of legislation. Just because someone else with a light industrial business got their application approved doesn’t automatically mean yours will be that easy. Perhaps your business has more emissions or your property has an ecologically important waterway on it. There are a LOT of variables.

It’s still an important question to ask. It sets the bar for timeline expectations. Sometimes it takes a little longer. Sometimes even the town planner will be shocked at the speed! The important thing is to know your rough timeline and for your town planner to update you regularly about changes in your application that may affect that timeline.

It’s important to note that time quotes will always be based on the experience of the town planner, who has the knowledge to quickly navigate legislation and get things just right.

4. “Are there any potential extra costs that could crop up?”

Just like the timeline question, a quote for potential extra costs is going to be a ballpark figure. It simply depends on the development and any unplanned hurdles that come along.

When your town planner provides a fee proposal, they should provide, within that, not only their own fee, but also the set fees of other organisations such as the local council, state government agencies, required additional consultants, and corporate bodies.

That’s got you prepared for the set costs, but your town planner can also give you an idea of other fees that may crop up due to development and application issues. That could include fees for penalties, changes to applications, and application appeals.

The majority of the time, your fees won’t deviate, but with budgeting being such an important part of a development, it’s good be prepared.

5. “Have you had experience with this type of development before?”

The question of experience is in no way, shape, or form suggesting that someone with less or little experience will be incapable of quality planning services. However, for a development that you know has the potential to be tricky or time sensitive, or even just for peace of mind, an experienced professional town planner is your best option.

Experience with specific types of developments brings the benefit of:

Familiarity with local council, its planning scheme, and other planning legislation;
An understanding of the time that goes into the development application and its process;
A better idea of the costs involved with your development application;
Knowledge-by-experience that guides the planner through unexpected hurdles; and
Peace of mind that you’ve got a seasoned veteran taking care of things.

Your development is unique, but your experienced town planner will be familiar with enough similar experiences to tackle the application head on!

Our Town Planners Have The Answers To Your Important Questions

Make the most of your 20-minute consultation with Planning Approval Group, our team is ready and waiting for those questions!

Let's sit down and chat about turning your development plans into a successful development project!

Behind Wall Planning: Bringing the World to Central Queensland

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:02:37 GMT

In celebration of Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting’s 10th Anniversary in April 2021, we’d like to share a special post about founder Renee Wall and the journey that brought a world of town planning experience to Central Queensland. We hope you enjoy! Interview by Dani Logan.

——

For Wall Planning Director Renee Wall, town planning has been a passion from a young age, and from the day a town planner gave a presentation at her school, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

Renee recalls, “I was sold! They must have delivered a pretty dynamic talk, as there were 8 town planners from our year of 100 students! ”

Shoot forwards a whole bunch of years and Renee has found her niche in regional planning in Central Queensland and has most recently expanded to include a team of passionate and dedicated town planners. Wall Planning’s success is that it’s a small-town business with a larger regional scope, built on a diverse and amazing journey.

BRINGING THE WORLD TO CENTRAL QUEENSLAND

Growing up in Brisbane, Renee studied Town Planning at the University of Queensland. It was here that she met her husband, who would introduce her to the rural lifestyle she loves – after a stint in London, that is.

“I loved working in London! I used to walk from our tiny flat in Pimlico, through Green Park, past Buckingham Palace to get to the office. I thought I was living the dream.”

During her 5 years in London, Renee worked in both the local government and private sectors in urban areas that were experiencing an enormous amount of redevelopment and gentrification. She was delighted to watch spaces – communities – rapidly transform and take on a new life right before her eyes.

“I have been extremely lucky to have such a diverse career. I’ve worked on some of the largest examples of regeneration with highly esteemed architects, delivering affordable housing in London. I’ve worked for QGC on the QCLNG project, off the coast of Gladstone. And I’ve travelled to Houston to meet with project engineers to explain the layers of the approval process.”

Renee brought that diversity and rich experience back to Central Queensland, where she settled just outside Clermont on her husband’s property ‘Peak View’ and discovered a community that inspired a whole new dream to live – and Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting was born.

STARTING A BUSINESS IN RURAL QUEENSLAND

“Honestly, when I first started, I thought my business would be a nice hobby; a chance to keep a foot in my career and perhaps provide a bit of pocket money. I didn’t expect there to be so many opportunities in our region!”

Renee admits she was concerned that being on a property in a rural area might be too big of a barrier to overcome in maintaining her career, but then a colleague offered some consulting work and things naturally grew from there.

“I started with an ABN and a Hotmail email account – no website. The business has grown organically through word of mouth and repeat clients. The ability to work online is also a major factor in the success of a rural business – it is now possible to start a business regardless of your location.”

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY IN SMALL COMMUNITIES

With all the incredible experiences abroad, you might be surprised to learn that, for Renee, regional planning has turned out to be the most rewarding phase of her career – particularly within her own community.

“I think regional planning is a real opportunity to be involved and discover solutions at the grass roots level. We help small and medium businesses, and mums and dads, to achieve approval for their developments. We also get to work with the larger scale clients in renewable energy and mining, which are an important part of the local infrastructure. We bridge between community members, large companies, and government to grow the community into something unique!”

This bridge can even span between industries. At present, Wall Planning is working with both the coal mining sector and the renewable energy sector, both of which are key players in the sustainability of many Central Queensland communities, including Clermont.

It’s an exciting time for Wall Planning to be involved in these industries, as Queensland charges toward the target of 50% renewable energy by 2030. But mining can’t just be written off, says Renee. Despite the shift toward renewables, mining will be a big player in the Central Queensland economy for some time and so a strong and balanced relationship with both energy sectors is necessary – during the transition and beyond.

“Coal is still a reality; providing jobs and consistent, reliable energy. Eventually the world will move towards renewables, however the minerals and resources industries provide many of the components needed to generate and store renewable energy.”

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN TOWN PLANNING

Two of the major services offered by Wall Planning are Social Impact Assessments along with Community and Stakeholder Engagement. With the ultimate goal being the creation of sustainable rural communities, Renee points out that the people are the key to sustainability and successful regional planning.

“The strength of local communities is the people. They are friendly and resilient and really look out for one another. Community engagement gives you the opportunity to listen and garner great ideas that are specific to that community and can be implemented as a part of a project. Successful projects are ‘owned’ by the community and the stakeholders.”

According to Renee, opportunities for regional areas around Australia are growing. The challenge for regional planning is ensuring that social infrastructure is developed such that, regardless of where one lives, they have access to health care and education.

THE KEY TO A SUCCESFUL REGIONAL PLANNER

Renee’s confesses that she’s excited for work every day and her true professional passion lies in the community.

“I love solving problems for clients and helping them – taking the frustration away, smoothing the process, and making development a more positive experience.”

And the keys to her success?

“I think it started with passion, skill, and determination and then has expanded further due to my wonderful team and the skills and experience they bring. Having a team with a growth mindset and a love for town planning makes it all so much more rewarding!”

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

Wall Planning & Environmental Planning have been servicing regions outside of Central Queensland for some time now and are continuing to expand into those areas as well as putting Renee’s international and domestic planning skills to good use in metropolitan planning.

Contact Renee today for a chat about how her extensive experience can kickstart your development or planning project.

Obtaining Feedlot Approvals in Queensland

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:02:25 GMT

Cattle plays a massive part of Queensland’s agricultural industry and economy, with feedlots on the increase. Wall Planning and Environmental Consulting (WPE) have obtained approvals for a number of cattle feedlots across Central Queensland over the past year. Need feedlot approval in Queensland? Here’s what you need to know.

The Feedlot Approval Process

When submitting a feedlot development application for approval, it can be a little more time consuming than many people anticipate. Where a lot of development applications may only deal with local council, there are multiple government departments and agencies that have requirements that need to be met for a feedlot.

This is why it is recommended that that a town planner be hired to manage the process. A town planner will have the connections, the knowledge, and the experience to know exactly what needs to be addressed and how best to address it.

Our process for feedlots is:

Initial Consultation with WPE – we get to know your project inside and out to get all those critical details we know will be required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and the process explained.
Sub-Contractor Consultations – WPE arrange supporting material, such as plans, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
Pre-Lodgement Meeting with Council & State Government – This meeting is organised and hosted by WPE to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
Site Visit with the Department of Agriculture & Fisheries (DAF) – This visit establishes further site-specific requirements for the development application of the feedlot.
Preparation and Submission of Development Application – WPE consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a development application that addresses all government department legislations.
Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) – these are submissions relating to specific triggers such as impacts on the state-controlled network.
Public Notification – this will depend on the level of assessment for your feedlot, for instance if it is an impact assessable development application. The public notification period is when the community can learn more about the development project.
Decision Stage – requests for information and decision notices will be issued, potentially with site-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval.

The Feedlot Approval Timeline

The process requires a lot of paperwork! There are forms to fill, Council and State Government fees to be calculated, designs to be prepared, not to mention the Development Application Report that is required to set out a clear assessment against of the relevant codes and requirements.

Sound like too much? Leave it up to us and we’ll take care of it all. The timeline:

Preparation of the application may take up to 4 – 8 weeks with WPE, depending on the level of technical information required.
Assessment of the application by Council could take around 6 months, however it’s recommended to allow approximately 8 months. Extensions to the timeline could occur depending on whether the Council issues an Information Request.

We recommend to our clients that the whole process can take approximately 8 to 10 months.

Feedlot Approval Supporting Information

The most common supporting information required for a feedlot development application is:

Site Plans – prepared by a specialist consultant that will help identify the best location based on the planning and environmental constraints.
Traffic Impact Assessment Report – these are prepared by a civil engineer and assesses the impact that the feedlot could have on the transport network, identifying reasonable solutions to address these impacts.

Things To Consider For Your Feedlot

Whilst the requirements for a feedlot will depend on the regulations of the specific site, there are still some important general questions to consider:

Do you have access to sufficient water on-site?
What type of regulated vegetation is on or near the site?
What are the access routes?
Where will the trucks be travelling to and from?

Town Planners Who Know Their Feedlots

Approval for a feedlot requires a true understanding of the business, the industry, and the region. WPE’s team are Central Queensland locals and experienced in feedlot approvals. In fact, our Director, Renee Wall, lives and works on a CQ cattle property! You don’t get much more “in the know” than that.

Have a chat with Planning Approval Group’s specialist team TODAY about the services available for your feedlot project.

How to Decipher Town Planning Jargon

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 10:01:52 GMT

Are you confused by Town Planning terms? Town Planning is famous for its industry specific jargon. From “MCU” to “ROL” to “Existing Use Rights”. We hear you! We want to make things simple for you. This glossary focuses on some of the general terms in the Queensland system.

Let’s start with the definition of a Town Planner: Town Planners are professionals who specialise in developing strategies and designing the communities in which we live, work and play. Balancing the built and natural environment, community needs, cultural significance, and economic sustainability, planners aim to improve our quality of life and create vibrant communities.

Amenity – The pleasantness of attractiveness of a building or place. This is what Town Planners are seeking to protect, develop and encourage. How we feel and operate within our environment is paramount and at the forefront of our minds.

Code Assessment – Code assessment is a bounded assessment only against applicable planning requirements (assessment benchmarks or the relevant codes). This type of assessment is usually relatively straightforward and does not require the application to be publicly notified.

Existing Use Rights – existing lawful use rights ensure that land uses that were lawful under a repealed planning instrument are not rendered unlawful by amendments made to current planning instruments. That is, the use of premises that was lawful at the time it commenced continues to be lawful despite any changes brought about by the introduction of a new or amended planning scheme. That is a use that was lawful under the previous ‘Rules’ (such as a Planning Scheme) and therefore the use rights are protected as existing lawful use rights.

Impact Assessment – Impact assessment must be assessed against the assessment benchmarks, and regard may be given to other relevant matters. This type of assessment must be publicly notified (see public notification below), i.e. a Notice in the Newspaper, Sign on the Land and Letter to adjoining neighbours. Anyone who makes a submission (objection) has the right to a Third Party Appeal (see below).

MCU – A ‘Material Change of Use’ application is generally required when there is:

The start of a new use of a building or on the land
The re-establishment of a use that has been abandoned
A material change in the intensity or scale of the use of the land.

Planning Instrument – The planning legislation establishes a framework of planning instruments and processes. These support the operation of the planning system. The legislation also determines which instrument takes precedence at any given time. This hierarchy is important.

Planning Scheme – The planning scheme guides growth, development and change in a local area. Each council, in consultation with its community, prepares its own planning scheme. Ultimately, the scheme is approved by the Minister to ensure it addresses state and regional planning matters, as well as local needs and aspirations. Once the planning scheme is prepared and approved, development applications may be made to the assessment manager, which is usually the relevant local council.

Public Notification – impact assessable development is still required to be publicly notified. The planning scheme will continue to identify what development needs to be publicly notified in the development assessment process. The process for public notification is set out in the DA Rules, however the Planning Act 2016 retains the requirements for the minimum timeframes a development application is required to be open for consultation and for people to make a submission about the application

ROL – reconfiguring a lot – this is essentially subdividing land, or carrying out other actions such as amalgamating lots or rearranging boundaries.

SARA – Sate Assessment and Referral Agency – A referral agency is an entity that is not the assessment manager (the assessment manager is typically the Council) but has a role in a development application. The State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) is a common referral agency, but other agencies can act in this role (e.g. port authorities and utilities providers).

Third Party Appeal Rights – Third party appeal rights will continue for people who make a ‘properly made’ submission. A submitter may only appeal against the part of the development approval relating to impact assessable development, or a variation approval under Section 43 of the Planning Act 2016. The appeal can be against one or more of the following: granting of a development approval; a condition of, or lack of conditions for a development approval; or the length of the current period.

Town Planning is a dynamic industry seeking to adapt to and evolve to the changing needs of our environment and society. We love the cut and thrust of the industry. Maybe you are not as excited about it all as we are at Wall Planning & Environmental Consulting – but that is ok as we are here to help.

References:

https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/applying-post-approval/how-development-applications-are-assessed/assessment-stage-6-appeals

http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/business/planning_and_development/planning_schemes_and_strategic_planning/new_planning_schemes/mackay_city_planning_scheme

https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/PlanningBuilding/Development-Applications/Lodging-a-Development-Application/Material-Change-of-Use-MCU

Why Does Planning Approval Take So Long? And What Can You Do About It?

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 07:13:39 GMT

One of the most commonly asked questions of town planners is, “How long does planning approval take?”. This isn’t exactly a short answer question and, unfortunately, it’s usually longer than you’d like it to be. So, let’s take a closer look at why planning approval can take so long – and what can you do about it?

Preparing the Application

Applying for development approval is more than just a quick form. It requires careful study and addressing of local and state government planning legislation. A standard application in Queensland will, generally, require the following:

Development Application Form;
Development Application Report addressing local and state legislation;
Title Search and Owner’s Consent;
Current and Proposed Plans;
Referral to State governing bodies such as the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA), if triggered;
Any other supporting documentation, as required.

Preparing this documentation in itself can take time and will depend upon the workload of your town planner, who will let you know their capabilities at that time.

The Development Application Process

The approval process itself isn’t cut and dried, though it is a set process and is governed by the state’s planning guidelines. In Queensland, those guidelines are the Development Assessment Rules , set by Queensland Government Planning and based around the Planning Act 2016 .

This (sometimes hefty) process followed by all local councils in Queensland are:

Pre-Lodgement – this is not a formal part of the assessment process but may be required or recommended for developments that may not strictly adhere to all the set assessment criteria. A pre-lodgement meeting can be a good way to gauge the chances of approval being granted and what would be required for potential approval. This meeting does not guarantee approval but can guide the application.
Application – this is when your town planner grabs all the legislation relevant to your property, puts it all in one report, and addresses potentially hundreds of assessment criteria specific to your project – they plead your case. This is then submitted with all related documentation to local government and, if triggered, to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) or other State governing body. All fees must be paid for the application to proceed.
Referral – If state legislation is applicable for the property, the application must be referred to SARA, or other required State governing body, for assessment before it can go through final assessment with local council. If state assessment is not required, the application is submitted directly to the local Council.
Information Request – After reading the application, the local Council has the opportunity to request for information to address any concerns or queries they might have that have not been addressed already within the application. A formal response, with related documentation, must then be provided to the Council.
Public Notification – Some, but not all, developments will trigger a public notification period to help the community better understand and allow time to provide feedback on the planned development. This particularly applies to impact assessable developments.
Decision – This phase can be a straight approval or refusal from the Council, but can also be encumbered by specific conditions that must be met for the development to legally occur.
Appeal – This final phase is only required if the applicant requires certain conditions or the refusal to be reconsidered. These are lodged with the Planning and Environment Court.

Is There A Time Limit?

The following time limits (unless negotiated otherwise) are set as a part of the Development Assessment Rules:

Confirmation Notice Period – the application must be read by Council and deemed a properly made application within 10 days of the application being lodged. Note – this is not the assessment period, but a check that all information has been properly supplied.
Action Notice Period – if the application is deemed ‘not a properly made application’, the Council must issue an Action Notice within the 10-day period, which the applicant must comply with and respond to within 20 days from issue of the action notice.
Referral – If the application required referral to a State referral agency, the agency must determine within 5 days after receipt of the application whether it was properly referred or not. Any action notices from a referring agency must be complied with within 20 days . This will delay the 5 day requirement of the referral confirmation notice.
Information Request – if the application triggers an information request, it must be issued within the 10-day assessment period. The applicant must provide a response within 3 months from the issue of the Information Request.
Public Notification – if public notification is triggered, it must be commenced within 20 days of receiving the confirmation notice from Council, which will stipulate whether the required public notification stage is 15 business days or 30 business days .
Decision Notice – A decision notice cannot be issued until all above (relevant) steps have been completed. Upon completion of all previous steps, the assessment manager must assess and issue a decision notice within 35 days .
Appeal – An appeal regarding a Decision Notice must be lodged within 20 days of issue of the Decision Notice. This appeal is made through the Planning and Environment Court and the timeframe will vary depending upon the case and the court.

Taking all these variables into consideration, a simple and straightforward application may only take approximately one month to be approved. However, more complex applications could take anything up to approximately 6 months!

This is without taking into consideration appeals and the time spent putting the application report and documentation together before submission.

What Can You Do About It?

Be prepared and be pro-active!

You can’t truly speed up the process, however by hiring a professional town planner to complete a concise and comprehensive report – and making sure you have ALL documentation ready for submission – you can minimise the chances of information requests and action notices occurring.

When your town planner lets you know what is required for the application to be submission-ready, there is not much that can be done until that information and documentation is supplied. Your town planner relies on your organisational skills and the deadlines of other contracted professionals to be able to complete your application and address information and action notices in a timely manner.

PAG Will Deal With That Weighty Process

We have the professional knowledge, connections, and experience to get your application done in the best possible time-frame to achieve the best possible results.

Press the GO Button on Planning Approval Now!

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 23:29:10 GMT

With the economy getting a bit hectic, there’s understandable hesitation with regard to property and development going on right now. You know you want to develop, but interest rates are rising, things are seeming expensive, and with so many changes in economic stability over the past couple of years, it seems impossible to know what’s going to happen next! That doesn’t have to stop planning approval for your development, though.

Don’t miss out! Read on and press the GO button on planning approval NOW.

The State Of The Economy

At the time of writing this article (October 2022), we acknowledge that the economy is looking a bit hairy. Granted, we’re not seeing the 18% interest rates that took hold back in the 1980s, but in terms of the state of the economy in recent years, we’ve gone from being force fed incentives to spend money to sudden eyebrow-raising interest rate hikes that are affecting all aspects of life, business, and property.

It’s a bit of a battle between good and evil right now, with interest rates sharply rising - not so great for paying off a mortgage - but property values dropping , making it a buyer’s market.

But, what if we told you that NOW is the time to prepare for development, no matter what the state of the market?

NOW is Always The Time To Approve Your Development

Did you know: When you get a development approval from your local council, you’re not locked into an immediate start. True story!

Your development approval actually comes with a very generous currency period. What is a currency period? This is the period in which your development approval is valid and development must commence.

The standard town planning currency periods in Queensland are:

So, why get the approval right away?

A development application can take anywhere from a month to six month to go from submission to approval. Right now, developers are watching the economy very closely to identify that sweet spot that will maximise the financial viability of their development project.

With an approval under your belt, you are ready to LEAP into commencing development at a moment’s notice. If you wait and then go through the application process when that sweet spot presents itself, by the time approval is achieved you may have missed your chance!

Press The GO Button On Planning Approval NOW!

The Planning Approval Group are poised and ready to get that approval for you with minimal time and fuss. We provide quality town planning services to all types of developer, with a vision of creating vibrant, engaging, and sustainable communities from city to country!

Get in contact today to press the GO button and book your 20-minute initial consultation. Be armed and ready for that sweet spot!

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