Removal buildings

If you’re planning to remove or demolish a building, there are steps and processes you need to follow.

A removal building is a building or structure that has been:

  • relocated from one site to another and rebuilt
  • demolished and removed from a site, whether for rebuilding at another site or not.

Removal buildings can include:

  • established houses
  • manufactured transportable homes
  • demountable buildings and dongas
  • sheds
  • commercial buildings
  • houses in holding yards.

If you’re moving a building outside the Toowoomba Regional Council area, talk to the relevant council about their requirements.

Development applications

There are several application processes to consider if you want to relocate or demolish a building. Each of these processes has different requirements, including application forms and timeframes. 

You must have all necessary approvals in place before starting any work.

Town planning

Some properties within the Toowoomba Region are:

  • State or Local Heritage places
  • Neighbourhood Character Places.

If you want to demolish any part of these types of properties, you generally need to submit an Impact-assessable development application.

Our online mapping service can help work out if your property is a Heritage or Neighbourhood Character Place.

For more information, see the Register of Heritage and Neighbourhood Character Places.

If you’re relocating a building, you may need to meet requirements under the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme (the Planning Scheme). This will depend on whether the building is for residential or commercial use.

To find out if you need a town planning development application, contact our Technical Advice Team.

How to apply

If you need to apply for development approval, you must:

  • submit a "properly made" application
  • address and follow the relevant codes under the Planning Scheme
  • pay the relevant application fee as per our fees and charges.

A properly made development application has the required forms and relevant documents under the Planning Act 2016 (Qld) and the Planning Scheme.

Learn more about the development application process.

Bond assessment

If you’re relocating a building to another site, you also need to lodge a bond assessment application. You’ll need to submit one for the removal of the building and another application for relocating the building. This only applies to relocating a building that is already located in the Toowoomba Region.

Each application has a different form and fee. See our fees and charges.

Under the Planning Act 2016 (Qld), we must act as a "concurrence agency" where a building is being relocated. We assess the removal building and decide if we need to hold a security bond until the work is completed.

How to apply

You can only lodge a bond assessment application to Council. If we assess the building and set a security bond, you must pay this before starting any work. Once you’ve completed the work, you need to request an inspection of the building for the return of your bond.

We refund your bond once we’re satisfied the work is complete. You can apply for a partial bond refund before you complete the work but you'll need to pay a fee for an additional inspection. 

To find out more, talk to one of our Technical Advice Officers.

Siting discretion

Building work on most properties in the Toowoomba Region must follow the setback requirements under the Queensland Development Code (QDC).

In some instances, the Planning Scheme may provide additional setback requirements. These include different setbacks for properties in a Rural Zone. Check the zoning of your property at Development.i.

If you cannot meet these requirements or you want to place a building within the setbacks, you need to apply for a siting discretion. This is also called a referral for building work.

How to apply 

You can apply for a siting discretion online, by email or in person. You can also submit an application through a licensed building certifier.

Provide as much detail as possible in your application, including supporting reasons for your request.

For more information on how to apply, see Referrals for building work.

Building works

You need to lodge a building works application to remove or demolish a building. This includes removing a building from one site and rebuilding it on another.

You need to pay any applicable security bond before we can issue a building work approval.

How to apply

You can apply online, by email or in person. You can also submit an application through a licensed building certifier. They'll take you through the application requirements. 

Provide as much detail as possible in your application, including supporting reasons for your request. 

To find out what documents you need to provide, see the Building-Dwelling rebuild class 1a checklist(PDF, 164KB).

For advice on how to complete the application form, see the DA form guide: Forms 1 and 2.

After you submit your application, we'll do a site inspection of the property. We'll assess the proposal in your application and advise you of the outcome.

Apply online (preferred)

  1. Go to the online customer service portal.
  2. Register an account per business or person to track your application’s progress.
  3. Complete the online application form.
  4. Complete the online checklist.
  5. Provide the required documents on the checklist.
  6. Pay the application fee in line with our fees and charges .

For more information about using the portal, see Development application process. 

Apply by email

  1. Complete the application form: DA Form 2.
  2. Complete the Building-Dwelling rebuild class 1a checklist(PDF, 164KB).
  3. Provide the required documents listed on the checklist.
  4. Send your completed application to development@tr.qld.gov.au.
  5. We’ll send you a request for payment in line with our fees and charges.

Apply in person

  1. Print and complete the application form: DA Form 2.
  2. Print and complete the Building-Dwelling rebuild class 1a checklist(PDF, 164KB).
  3. Gather the required documents listed on the checklist.
  4. Apply in person at your local Customer Service Centre.
  5. Pay the application fee in line with our fees and charges.

Plumbing and drainage

If you’re removing or demolishing a building with plumbing and drainage connected, a licensed plumber must seal the drains. They can also help determine the best place to seal the drains on site.

To set up new drainage at a property, you need to submit a plumbing application to Council. If the property doesn’t have access to Council’s reticulated sewer, you need a suitable on-site sewerage disposal system. You must have plumbing and drainage approved for a septic site before any building work can start.

All plumbing work in Queensland is regulated by State Government legislation.

How to apply

A licensed plumber must complete plumbing and drainage alterations under the appropriate plumbing permits. Your plumber will likely get the plumbing approval for the work.

For more information, see Plumbing work.

 

Other approvals

You may need to apply for other approvals, depending on the property and site requirements.

You may also need approvals for moving heavy or wide loads on a truck. For more information, see the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Further information

If you need advice about the development assessment process, contact one of our Technical Advice Officers.

Forms

You can also access referral agency forms online through our customer service portal. Relevant forms are:
  • Referral agency response - discretion/concession
  • Referral agency response - Planning Scheme.  

Disclaimer

The information on this page is only a guide. Toowoomba Regional Council has prepared this information to help people understand the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme and building legislation. Consult the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme for detailed information, including maps (zones, local plans, overlays and priority infrastructure plan), provisions and policies. This page doesn't replace the provisions of the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme and building legislation.

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