Post approval
Other approvals
Where a planning application is approved, the decision notice may contain conditions requiring you to obtain further approvals before the commencement of any work.
Extending a development approval (currency period)
The currency period is the time period that an approval is valid for, after which a part of a development approval lapses.
The types of approval below generally have the following currency period:
- Material Change of Use – six years
- Reconfiguring a Lot – four years
- Operational Works and Building Works Assessable against a Planning Scheme – two years
Before a development approval lapses, an applicant may lodge an Extension Application to extend the currency period of a development approval. Council has established a Request - Extension Application form to assist applicants to make this request to Council.
Operational Works Inspections
Pre-start Meeting
To arrange a pre-start meeting, you must submit a booking request.
Pre-start meetings are able to be requested for dates 10 - 30 business days in the future. Please do not submit a request for a pre-start meeting if you are not ready to commence works.
You will be requested to upload mandatory supporting documents based on the type of works being carried out as below:
- Construction Management Plan – not required for driveway works or for vegetation clearing.
- Environmental Management Plan – not required for driveway works or for vegetation clearing.
- Traffic Management Plan - not required for driveway works or for vegetation clearing not involving a road reserve.
- Vegetation Retention / Removal Plan – only required for vegetation clearing.
Please note if the development approval this inspection request relates to was lodged after 1 July 2024 inspection fees will apply. Officers from the Council’s Development Group will contact you to arrange payment of these prescribed inspection fees. Your pre-start meeting will not be booked until such time that these fees are paid in full.
To request a pre-start meeting please lodge a Pre-Start Meeting Booking Request.
On-Maintenance Inspection Meeting
To organise an On-Maintenance Inspection Meeting, you must submit a booking request.
On-Maintenance meetings can be requested for dates 5 - 30 business days in the future. Please do not submit a request for an On-Maintenance Inspection Meeting unless all operational works under the development approval has been completed.
You will be requested to upload mandatory supporting documents before the booking request can be submitted. In accordance with section SC6.3.13 of the Planning Scheme Policy for Development Works, these documents can include:
- Certification signed by the relevant Supervising Engineer/s (i.e., an RPEQ for each area of engineering) that all works have been undertaken, completed and inspected in accordance with:
- the operational works approval;
- the relevant conditions of any higher order Material Change of Use approval or Reconfiguring a Lot approval; and
- requirements of the Planning Scheme Policy for Development Works and associated standard drawings.
- Certification signed by the relevant Supervising Engineer/s (RPEQ) confirming no variations occurred OR any variations to the design that result in Operational Work being outside of design tolerance will not result in a failure of the Operational Work to perform as intended by the design;
- PDF copies of “As Constructed” information.
- Electronic ADAC “as constructed” information.
- Certification signed by a Registered Surveyor (QLD) confirming the “As Constructed” information has been collected and documented in accordance with standard industry practice.
- Certification that landscape works are constructed as per the approved landscape plan by the landscape architect/designer (if applicable).
- Completed quality plans, including:
- A plan identifying where and when inspections and testing occurred;
- All ITPs associated with contributed assets (any variations from the ITPs submitted at pre-start should be justified);
- Test results from CCTV for all sewerage and stormwater infrastructure (including WSA compliant Infrastructure Condition Reports and all CCTV data);
- Test results from pressure testing water and sewerage mains;
- Road compaction testing and proof test rolling results; and
- All tests associated of earthworks including drawing/s identifying fill depth and location on the site.
Officers from the Council’s Development Group will send you a meeting request once all submitted documentation has been confirmed.
To request an On-Maintenance Inspection Meeting please lodge an On-Maintenance Inspection Meeting Booking Request.
Off-Maintenance Inspection Meeting
To organise an Off-Maintenance Inspection Meeting, you must submit a booking request.
Off-Maintenance meetings can be requested for dates 5 - 30 business days in the future. Please do not submit a request for an Off-Maintenance Inspection Meeting unless all operational works under the development approval has been maintained and in a fit for purpose state. You must:
- Ensure grass coverage of at least 80% (per square metre) is obtained over all public access land,
- Confirm with Council’s representative that temporary erosion and sediment control measures are no longer required and, if warranted, arrange for their disposal, and
- Ensure any defects (if any) raised during the maintenance period are rectified.
You will be requested to upload mandatory supporting documents before the booking request can be submitted. In accordance with section SC6.3.13 of the Planning Scheme Policy for Development Works, these documents include:
- Confirmation signed by the Supervising Engineer (i.e., RPEQ) that all infrastructure are in a satisfactory condition;
- Identification of remedial works undertaken during the maintenance period (including test reports if required); and
- Final test results from CCTV for all sewerage and stormwater infrastructure (including WSA compliant Infrastructure Condition Reports and all CCTV data).
Officers from the Council’s Development Group will send you a meeting request once all submitted documentation has been confirmed.
To request an Off-Maintenance Inspection Meeting please lodge an Off-Maintenance Inspection Meeting Booking Request.
Infrastructure charges
Trunk infrastructure is the development infrastructure that services identified infrastructure charge areas in the Bundaberg region. Development infrastructure includes land and/or works for water supply, sewerage, stormwater, transport, parks and community facilities.
Council levies charges against development that requires new trunk infrastructure or will place additional demand on existing trunk infrastructure.
To view Council's Charges Resolution, please visit Council's Development infrastructure and charges page.
The types of development that may trigger the levying of an adopted charge under this charges resolution are:
(a) reconfiguring a lot;
(b) material change of use of premises; and/or
(c) building work.
Where development requires an infrastructure charge, Council will issue you with an infrastructure charge notice.
Compliance
All conditions of a development permit are required to be complied with. Council’s Compliance team undertake audits of existing development approvals throughout the Bundaberg Region, investigating current development approvals to determine compliance with conditions of approval.
If Council conducts an audit of development approval conditions or otherwise receives a complaint about alleged unauthorised or non-compliant development (land uses, building work, operational work (excavating or filling of land)), Council’s Compliance team will investigate the complaint and the use rights attached to your land, to determine compliance with the development approval and provisions of the planning scheme.
Some examples of unauthorised land uses/work include:
- Using a premises without obtaining the necessary approval/s.
- Non-compliance with a development approval.
- Carrying out a development without the necessary approval/s.
- Unapproved building work
Should the investigation identify non-compliant or unapproved development, Council’s Compliance team will initiate the appropriate enforcement action to ensure the development approval conditions are complied with, or the appropriate development permits are obtained.
Plan sealing
For development involving subdivision, you must obtain Council approval for the survey plan.
Pursuant to Schedule 18 of the Planning Regulation 2017, a person may give notice to Council requesting an approval of subdivisions plans. Schedule 18 also lists the requirements that Council must follow when assessing and deciding a request for approval of plans of subdivision.
To assist you in making this request, Council have developed a Request - Approving Plans of Subdivision form. The request form must be accompanied by the required fee (refer to Council’s Fees & Charges Register).
To avoid an Outstanding Criteria letter and delays to the assessment process, it is important to ensure the following steps are completed prior to lodgement of the request for approval of plans of subdivision:
- Comply with all conditions of the development approval and any related approvals (e.g. Material Change of Use, Reconfiguring a Lot, Operational Work).
- Pay all levied rates outstanding over the land.
- Pay all outstanding infrastructure charges over the land.
- Ensure that the plan has been prepared in accordance with the development permit.
- Ensure compliance with relevant infrastructure agreement (if applicable).
- Where applicable, collate any other information to be submitted with the application (e.g. Community Management Statement, Easement Documentation, Infrastructure Agreement).
If you have any questions regarding the plan seal process, please contact Council’s Development group.