Not every project needs a development approval, and not every approval is the same. Whether you need one, and what kind, depends on the type of work, the property's zoning and overlays, and the assessment level set by the relevant planning scheme. This article is a starting point. Use it to get oriented before you read any of the more specific articles in our resources library.
Three categories of development
Queensland's Planning Act 2016 divides development into three broad categories: accepted development, assessable development and prohibited development. Accepted development can proceed without a development approval, provided it complies with the requirements set out in the planning scheme. Assessable development requires a development application, and within that, the application is either code assessable (assessed against benchmarks) or impact assessable (assessed more broadly, with public notification). Prohibited development cannot occur in any circumstances.
Working out which category your project falls into is the most important early step. The same physical project, say, building a small dwelling on a property, might be accepted on one site and impact assessable on another, depending entirely on the zone, the overlays and the local planning scheme provisions.
What triggers an application
Common triggers in residential contexts include: a material change of use (starting a new use of land, like converting a dwelling to a duplex or to short-term accommodation); reconfiguring a lot (subdivision); building work that is assessable against the planning scheme (often where overlays apply, such as the Traditional Building Character overlay); and certain operational works (filling, excavation, signage).
For commercial and industrial development, the most common trigger is a material change of use to a new commercial use, or expansion / intensification of an existing use. Building work alone is usually a building approval issue, not a planning approval issue, but the two often overlap in practice.
Building approval is different
It is essential to understand the difference between planning approval (granted by the local government under the planning scheme and the Planning Act 2016) and building approval (issued by a private building certifier under the Building Act 1975 and the National Construction Code). Many projects need both. Some need only one. Some need neither.
A planning approval addresses land-use questions: is the use appropriate, does the design respond to the streetscape, does it meet zoning and overlay requirements? A building approval addresses construction questions: structure, fire safety, accessibility, energy efficiency. Confusing the two is one of the most common mistakes property owners make at the start of a project.
How to find out
There are three reliable ways to find out whether your project needs an approval. The first is to look up the planning scheme that applies to your property and read the relevant tables of assessment. The second is to use the local government's online planning tools, Brisbane City Council's City Plan Online and Development.i, for example. The third is to engage a registered town planner to do this work for you.
For straightforward projects, the first two options are often enough to give you a clear answer. For projects of any complexity, overlays, multiple use components, contested zoning, or where the cost of getting it wrong is high, professional advice is essential.
If you're not sure where to start, the rest of our planning resources cover the most common questions in detail. The articles linked below are good follow-on reading depending on what you're trying to do.