Previous development applications and approvals

For details and advice on a specific development application not available through Development.i (i.e. applications lodged prior to 1 January 2004), Council's Planning Information Officers can retrieve historical records through a Development Application History request. Customers will be contacted within 5 business days of receiving a request to identify relevant development history and issue an invoice for any required development materials. A fee for service is applied to each property relevant to the request, inclusive of both current and historic (retired) properties. Where development application history is sought over land spanning multiple current and historic properties, multiple fees will be incurred.

If appropriate a meeting time can be arranged to view hardcopy file containing development conditions, decision notice, and approved plans and documents. Please note that Council can only provide copies of approved plans if you provide written permission from the author of the approved plans for copies to be made.

Further information about a development application may be accessible through Council’s Planning and Development Certificate or Right to Information services. Phone Council on 07 3403 8888 for more information relating to these services.

Planning and development certificate

For written information, you can request a planning and development certificate for a fee, in accordance with the Planning Act 2016.

A planning and development certificate does not include copies of development plans. It will not state whether or not the current use is lawful. A standard and a full certificate refers to building approvals issued after 30 March 1998.

There are three types of planning and development certificates. Each provides a different level of information. Find out the relevant fees for each certificate.

Limited planning and development certificates

Limited certificates are generally for standard conveyancing matters. A limited certificate provides:

• a summary of the relevant planning scheme provisions and charges resolution
• any temporary local planning instrument
• any variation approval in effect
• any state planning instrument
• any state or local designations under legislation
• a copy of any information recorded for the premises in the infrastructure charges register. 

Standard planning and development certificates

Standard certificates are generally for commercial enterprises and provides the same information contained in a limited certificate and includes a copy of any:

• decision notices (or negotiated decision notices) for development approvals that have not lapsed
• minor changes to a development approval
• approvals given to extend the currency period of a development approval
• details relating to continuing approvals (approved before 30 March 1998)
• details of decisions to approve or refuse a historical application for rezoning made under the repealed Local Government (Planning and Environment) Act 1990
• compliance certificate given under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009
• exemption certificate for development on the premises given under section 46 of the Planning Act 2016
• judgement or court order about the development approval. Other than a judgment or order of a tribunal about a development permit for carrying out building works
• agreement about a condition of the development approval that Council (or a concurrence agency) is party to
• infrastructure agreement applying to the premises that Council is party to
• infrastructure agreements (with another agency, e.g. Urban Utilities) applying to the premises - where Council received a copy under section 153 of the Planning Act 2016
• description of each proposed amendment of a planning scheme Council had proposed to the planning scheme, but not adopted yet.

Full planning and development certificates

Full certificates are generally for commercial enterprises. A full certificate establishes Council's conditions for development approval. It states whether or not the conditions were complied with and describes any outstanding conditions.

These certificates state advice of prosecution, or awareness of proceedings for prosecutions, for a development offence in relation to a premises. Full certificates provide:

• the same information provided in both the limited certificate and standard certificate and;
• details of any current development approval containing conditions and a statement of fulfilment or non-fulfilment of each condition at a stated day (after the certificate was applied for)
• if there was an infrastructure agreement that Council is party to, including:
  • any obligations not fulfilled, including details of the nature and extent of non-fulfilment
  • details of any security given and whether required payment under the security was paid
• advice of any prosecution for a development offence in relation to the premises that the local government is aware of, or proceedings for a prosecution for a development offence in relation to the premises that Council is aware of.

How to lodge

You can lodge an application for a planning and development certificate online and pay with credit card.

For further information on lodging a planning and development certificate, phone the Planning and Development Certificate Team on 07 3403 4780.

Time to process

After the lodgement date, you will receive a planning and development certificate within:

• five working days for a limited certificate
• 10 working days for a standard certificate
• 30 working days for a full certificate.

You cannot fast track a planning and development certificate.