Planning & Development Resources

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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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.

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.