Undertaking commercial and/or community activities

Commercial and/or community activities being conducted on Council and/or private land may require a local law approval. We are responsible for assessing and regulating these activities. The main purpose of regulating these activities is to ensure they are being carried out in a safe manner, whilst preventing nuisances to the surrounding environment.

These activities are grouped into six sections:

1. Commercial use of Council area/road.
2. Temporary entertainment event on Council area/land.
3. Depositing of goods/materials on Council area/road.
4. Driving/leading animals to cross road.
5. Public place activity on Council area/road.

Examples of each activity are provided in the 'Helpful information' section at the bottom of the page.

Do I require an approval?

An approval will NOT be required

If you are able to comply with ALL of the minimum requirements listed on the Commercial and/or community activity self-assessment checklist an application will not be required. We recommend that you keep a copy of the completed checklist for your records.

If you are unsure if your activity meets the self-assessment checklist minimum requirements please contact us to confirm.

An approval WILL be required

If you can't comply with the minimum requirements listed on the Commercial and/or community activity self-assessment checklist, a fully completed application will need to be submitted to us with applicable documentation for assessment. Fees may apply and will need to be paid at the time of application. View application and/or renewal of prescribed activity fee.

The Local law approval information guide(PDF, 1MB) can be used for assistance during the application process.

Applying for an approval

Required documents

• Commercial and/or community activity self-assessment checklist(PDF, 311KB)
• Local law approval application form - undertaking commercial and/or community activity(PDF, 4MB)
• Local law approval information guide(PDF, 1MB) - The information provided in this guide has been compiled for your convenience. We make no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the guide. The guide is not a substitute for independent professional advice and we strongly recommend that event organisers obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. We will not accept any liability for any loss, damage or other injury resulting from its use and reserves the right to make changes, modifications, additions, deletions and corrections to the guide at any time and without notice.

Submission and processing

We encourage the making of applications a minimum of 12 weeks in advance of the date you intend to undertake your activity. This allows adequate time to review your submission, request further information if required, conduct a final assessment and make a decision. Applications received inside of this timeframe may not receive a decision.

A thorough assessment of the application will occur and in some instances a site inspection may be required. The assessment will address the location suitability, relevant legislation, policies and regulations that will need to be complied with. This will ensure the impacts on location, environment and community are minimal.

Applications generally take up to 8 weeks to be processed. This is dependent on the complexity of the activity and your ability to provide all relevant information and documentation at the time of submission.

Receiving an approval

Once an assessment has been completed and your application approved we will get in contact with you.

Your approval document will include the details or your event and conditions specified by the assessing officer against the relevant local law. Dependent on the conditions in your approval, you may be required to have a copy present at the site of your activity for display upon request.

It is important that you fully understand the conditions stated on your approval, as they are mandatory and if not complied with, may result in infringement notices being issued. Questions in regards to your conditions can be referred to us. You'll need to provide your approval number.

Please note that your event fee (if applicable) does not include any additional approvals that may need to be issued by other departments within Toowoomba Regional Council. As an applicant, it's your responsibility to ensure all relevant branches have been contacted and any further required approvals are obtained.

Helpful information