Development assessment and compliance fees 2015-16

This factsheet will assist you to determine which Brisbane City Council development assessment and compliance fees are applicable to your development.

Council’s new planning scheme Brisbane City Plan 2014 came into effect on 30 June 2014. In line with the changes in Brisbane City Plan 2014, new, simplified sets of fees will apply to both new applications and applications lodged under a superseded planning scheme.

You are required to pay fees to Council where an application must be lodged, whether it is assessing a new development, ensuring compliance of a development condition or for the plan sealing of your land. This factsheet identifies the full list of fees applicable for development types in Brisbane.

Fees listed include GST, where applicable. Fees outlined in this factsheet do not include infrastructure charges.

For staged developments, each development stage is classed as a separate development application for fee purposes.

These fees apply to development assessment services, development applications, requests for compliance assessment and matters under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA), Integrated Planning Act 1997 or South Bank Corporation Act 1989.

Getting started

If you need help preparing your development application, or are unsure whether your proposal will meet the requirements of City Plan 2014, you can discuss your application with officers from Council’s Development Assessment team using Council’s prelodgement services.

These services will help identify relevant issues, ensure your application is in accordance with requirements, and assist Council to assess your application quickly. Costs for prelodgement services are listed on page 2.

For information on how the development assessment process works and what you need to provide with your application, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search for ‘planning and building’.

You can also call Council and speak to a town planner on (07) 3403 8888 or 133 BNE (133 263) for business customers.

Development fees

Development assessment fees

An assessment fee is required to be paid for Council to proceed with the assessment of a development application. Development assessment fees apply to development applications for material change of use, reconfiguring a lot and building work. Applicants are required to pay an assessment fee for the development application to be considered ‘properly made’ under SPA.

Fees relating to changing a development application/approval and miscellaneous fees/charges are listed on page 2.

Operational work, SPA compliance assessment and Council compliance assessment fees

Following assessment of your initial application, you may be required to submit an operational work application/plan or a compliance assessment request. These fees are listed on page 8.

Compliance and inspection fees

Where Council is required to undertake an inspection of the development before or during construction, a fee will need to be paid. This is a one-off fee calculated according to the size and complexity of your project. These fees are listed on page 13.

Plan sealing fees

Where your development involves reconfiguring a lot, a fee is required for Council to endorse the survey plan. Council will seal the plan when the development is finalised and all approval conditions have been met. These fees are listed on page 14.

Discounts

RiskSMART

Applications lodged by a Council RiskSMART accredited consultant will attract a discount of 20% off the standard relevant assessment fees, providing the application meets all the necessary requirements to be lodged as a Council RiskSMART application.

Religious and charitable organisations

Applications by religious or charitable organisations listed in Appendix A of the 2015-16 Brisbane City Council Budget Schedule of Fees and Charges are entitled to a 50% fee discount. If the proposal is primarily for commercial purposes, no discount will be allowed.

Prelodgement services

You can meet in person with Council and/or Council can provide written advice about a development.

Standard prelodgement meeting (minimum one hour fee) / $550 per hour
AdviceSMART prelodgement meeting or written advice (minimum one hour fee) For details of this service, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search for ‘prelodgement advice’ / $1410 per hour
Discussion and calculation of infrastructure charges (minimum one hour fee) / $550 per hour
Request for written information on development related matters (This may include requests for general information in writing, calculation of straightforward infrastructure charges and level of assessment confirmation) / $530
Request for advice that development is considered to be generally in accordance with the development approval / $530

Note: refunds do not apply to prelodgement meeting fees.

File scanning, preparation and storage

An additional fee for scanning, file preparation and file storage of development application documents lodged in hardcopy form applies.

Hardcopy scanning, preparation and storage fee / $240

Development assessment fees

Development types*

Whether you are doing building work, reconfiguring a lot or making a material change of use, your development should fit into one of the following categories:

  • minor development
  • domestic development
  • limited code
  • demolition development
  • reconfiguration development
  • multiple dwellings
  • development assessment area charge.

* For definitions under Brisbane City Plan 2014 refer to Schedule 1–Definitions.

Minor development

Minor development includes:

  • small scale building work requiring development approval for 1 development component (e.g. decks, pergolas, carports, sheds)
  • minor extensions such as extensions to a dwelling house, dual occupancy, existing approved single-unit dwelling or modifications to a single unit of a multiple dwelling (including an additional room, garage, swimming pool)
  • small scale demolition work requiring development approval
  • rearranging boundaries to resolve encroachments
  • any other minor scale development as determined by Council.

Flat fee / $595
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $305
Domestic development

Domestic development includes:

  • a new house, or extensions to a house, that are not minor
  • a home-based business
  • an access easement
  • any other domestic scale development as determined by Council.

Flat fee / $1795
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $615
Limited code

Where a code assessable development application is required for a house under Section 5.3.3 (1) (c) (ii) of Brisbane City Plan 2014, Council is required to limit its assessment to the subject of the self-assessable acceptable outcome/s that are not complied with.

Flat fee / $900
Demolition development

Demolition development is any demolition, removal or relocation of whole or part of a building (partial demolition).

Demolition is broken into two fee types.

  1. Demolition type A:

• demolition where not lodged in conjunction with an accompanying aspect of development (e.g. standalone demolition or removal of a building)

• demolition on the site of a heritage place.

Flat fee / $2560
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $1025
  1. Demolition type B:

• demolition where lodged in conjunction with an accompanying aspect of development (e.g. an extension of a pre-1946 dwelling in the Traditional building character overlay).

Flat fee / $820
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $1025
Reconfiguration development

Reconfiguration development includes:

  • reconfiguring a lot to create two or more resulting allotments
  • subdivision under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997.

Base fee, includes up to 4 lots / $3280
Plus / Additional fee per lot, 5-10 lots / $615
Plus / Additional fee per lot, more than 10 lots / $435
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $2050
Multiple dwellings

Multiple dwellings is the creation of residential accommodation involving self-contained units.

For example:

  • multiple dwelling, e.g. apartments, flats, units
  • dual occupancy, e.g. duplex
  • dwelling unit, e.g. ‘shop-top’ apartment.

Base fee, includes 2 units / $6660
Plus / Additional fee per unit, 3-10 units / $550
Plus / Additional fee per unit, 11-50 units / $440
Plus / Fee per unit, 51-100 units / $290
Plus / Additional fee per unit, more than 100 units / $235
Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $2050
Development assessment area charge

This fee relates to development for uses such as food and drink outlet, industry, office, shop, warehouse, and is the combination of the below areas:

  • Gross Floor Area (GFA) as defined by Brisbane City Plan 2014
  • areas not forming part of the definition of GFA, where the area contains activities integral to the development such as:

• unenclosed structures

• decks

• outdoor storage/stockpiling areas

• footpath dining.

For a preliminary approval to override the planning scheme (s242 SPA), where an application is not appropriately reflected by another development type, then the development assessment area charge is to be calculated based upon the site area of the land subject to the preliminary approval (s242 SPA).

Base fee up to 50 m2 / $3895
Plus / Additional fee per m2 between 51 m2 and 2000 m2 / $3
Plus / Additional fee per m2 greater than 2000 m2 / $2.05
Plus Additional fee where the works (or part thereof) have been carried out without Council approval / $2050

Note: This fee is to be applied to the assessment of accommodation uses, not involving self-contained units, including:

  • community care centre
  • community residence
  • relocatable home park
  • residential care facility
  • retirement facility
  • rooming accommodation
  • short-term accommodation.
Fees relating to changing a development application/approval
Charges
/
Development work/type
/
Fee per request
Fee in addition to the regular application charge for a preliminary approval to affect the planning scheme (s242 SPA)
Where the preliminary approval is applied to various aspects of development, then this fee is to be applied to each aspect (e.g. preliminary approval to change the level of assessment for the future development of a site) / Domestic and operational work / $305
Demolition / $515
Multiple dwellings/development assessment area charge/reconfiguration / $1540
Alterations to facade facing Queen Street, Brunswick Street or Chinatown Mall* / $1255
Request for consideration under a superseded planning scheme (s95 SPA) / Minor development and operational work / $305
Domestic / $615
Demolition / $820
Multiple dwellings/development assessment area change/ reconfiguration / $2050
Change development application, where change is only to applicant’s details (SPA s351) / $328
Change development application, other than staging (SPA s351) / 25% of current development application fee
Request to change a development application, where including staged development (SPA s351) / Current application assessment fee for staged development minus application fee actually paid for unstaged development
Request to change a development approval, where including staged development (includes changing/cancelling conditions) (SPA s369)

Note: *If a structure plan or centre concept plan is required by the planning scheme, this fee is to be paid when the development application is lodged.

Charges
/
Development work/type
/
Fee per request
Request to change a development approval, other than staging (includes changing/cancelling conditions) (SPA s369) / Minor development / $308
Domestic/demolition and operational work / $615
Multiple dwellings/ development assessment area charge/reconfiguration / $2565
Request to change a compliance permit/certificate (includes changing/cancelling conditions) (SPA s413) / Minor plan and minor prescribed tidal works / $308
Standard plans / $515
Other plans / $715
Other prescribed tidal works / $1230
Request to extend relevant period (SPA s383)
This fee relates to the following development types:
  • multiple dwellings
  • development assessment area charge
  • reconfiguration development types
  • other prescribed tidal work
/ $1650
Request to extend relevant period (SPA s383) for minor development
This fee relates to the following development types:
  • minor and domestic development types
  • minor, standard and other plans
  • operational works/compliance assessment types
  • minor prescribed tidal work
/ $318
Request to extend period (SPA s98) when development under a superseded planning scheme must start (i.e. if Council has agreed to a request under section 95(1)(a)) / $360
Cancel a development approval (SPA s379) $370 Request to change or cancel a particular condition, where the conditions were not applied under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) or a previous planning act (SPA s378) (e.g. a condition of an environmentally relevant activity applied under the Environmental Protection Act 1994) / $370
Pre-request to change a development approval under SPA s368 (e.g. where applying to change an approval and/or condition given by the Planning and Environment Court) / $370
Request for a Negotiated Decision Notice (SPA s361) / $690
Request for a Negotiated Infrastructure Charges Notice (SPA s677) / $690
Specific fees for development applications and miscellaneous fees and charges
Type
/
Fee
Assessment of proposed structure plan or centre concept plan*
Site less than 20 hectares
Site of 20 hectares or more / $9580 per plan
$15,990 per plan
Liquor licence investigation
Standard / $630 per investigation
Adult entertainment
Adult entertainment permit investigation
Reapplication of adult entertainment permit / $625 per investigation
$470 per investigation
Commercial driveway permit (construction and/or repair of access ramp, crossing or driveway) / $565 per permit
Building on, over or using roads, footpaths or pedestrian areas (hoarding and gantry)
Application fee
Permit fee
zone A — the Principal centre (City centre) zone (PC1) as identified in Brisbane City Plan 2014 (does not include the Queen Street Mall or the Fortitude Valley Malls)
zone B — the Principal centre (Regional Centre) zone (PC2) as identified in Brisbane City Plan 2014
zone C — other areas of Brisbane / $133 per application plus permit fee
$20 (zone A) per each square metre of SPAce utilised under the permit, per month
$7.40 (zone B) per each square metre of SPAce utilised under the permit, per month
$3.70 (zone C) per each square metre of SPAce utilised under the permit, per month

Note:

  • fees are per request, additional requests will incur additional fees
  • *if a structure plan or centre concept plan is required by the planning scheme, this fee is to be paid when the development application is lodged.

Refund of fees

Applicants may request a fee refund when withdrawing an application.

All applications for a fee refund must be made in writing to the Manager, Development Assessment, Brisbane City Council. The decision to grant a refund is made on a case-by-case basis.

Operational work, SPA compliance assessment and Council conmpiance Assessment fees

Minor and self-certified conditions

Administration fee for fast track self-certified builds where full assessment is not required, including:

  • over or near stormwater, minor water, minor wastewater, professionally certified road works and other works where full assessment is not required
  • minor and self-certified works, where not relating to engineering, in accordance with a condition of a development approval
  • any other or self-certified conditions as determined by Council.

Fee per plan / $275
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Minor plans

Minor plans include:

  • private landscape management and site works plans for sites up to 2000 m²
  • erosion and sediment control plans for sites up to 2000 m²
  • traffic functional layout plans (type A, B or C roads)
  • signs and line marking plans (type A, B or C roads)
  • architectural plans – external materials, colours and finishes
  • any other minor plans as determined by Council.

Fee per compliance assessment / $890
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Standard plans

Standard plans include:

  • public landscape management and site works plans
  • private landscape management and site works plans for sites greater than 2000 m2
  • erosion and sediment control plans for sites greater than 2000 m2
  • vegetation management and/or rehabilitation plans
  • road works and drainage plans
  • sewerage reticulation plans
  • water reticulation plans
  • filling and excavation/bulk earthworks plans
  • streetscape concept plans
  • construction management plans (including for out-of-hours noise)
  • traffic functional layout plans (type D roads and signalised intersections)
  • signs and line marking plans (type D roads and signalised intersections)
  • landscape works in parks
  • landscape works on and around roads
  • site-based stormwater quality management plan
  • site-based stormwater quantity management plan
  • carparking management plan
  • any other standard plans as determined by Council.

Fee per operational work for development involving up to 10 allotments / $1490
Fee per operational work for development greater than 10 allotments / $2565
Fee per compliance assessment / $1490
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Other plans

Other plans include:

  • environmental management plans
  • major infrastructure design plans (e.g. sewer pumping station, trunk mains, vacuum sewer, water booster, water reservoir, bridge, traffic signals)
  • any other operational works or compliance assessment plans as determined by Council.

Fee per compliance assessment / $2015
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Minor prescribed tidal work

For example, pontoon or jetty associated with a house, pipeline, embankment, drain or boat ramp.

Fee per compliance assessment / $750
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Other prescribed tidal work

For example, revetment wall, marina, bridge, wharf or Riverwalk promenade.

Fee per compliance assessment / $5360
Additional flat fee for operational work without approval / $515

Compliance and inspection fees

The number of compliance components that apply to your development will determine the fees you need to pay at the compliance phase of the development.

A compliance and inspection fee must be paid before construction begins. This is a one-off fee calculated according to the size and complexity of the project and covers all inspections required during construction.

Below is a list of components that may be relevant to your development.

Water reticulation

The development requires construction of a water reticulation system. Before construction, a water reticulation operational work/compliance assessment plan must be lodged and approved. This excludes minor work involving property connection/s only.

Sewer reticulation

The development requires construction of a sewer reticulation system. Before construction, a sewer reticulation operational work/compliance assessment plan must be lodged and approved. This excludes minor work involving property connection/s only.