Code and impact assessment

Code assessment means we can only assess your development proposal against particular ‘assessment benchmarks’. It’s also known as ‘bounded assessment’.

We assess code-assessment proposals against:

• the specific requirements of the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme
• matters outlined in the Planning Regulation 2017 (Qld).

In our region, most assessment benchmarks will be the codes in the planning scheme.

Assessment process

The Development Assessment Rules outline the assessment process for code-assessable development applications. The process can depend on the specific application but may include these standard steps:

• submitting a development application to us
• possible referral of parts of the application to a state agency
• an opportunity for us to ask for more information about the application
• our decision to approve (full or in part) with conditions or refuse a development.

You are not required to advertise code-assessable development applications for public comment.

Our determination

Council officers assess and decide code-assessable applications.

Sometimes an application may be referred to a meeting of Council for a decision if it’s:

• contentious
• of interest to the councillors
• substantially non-compliant with the relevant benchmarks.

Impact assessment is a more comprehensive process than code assessment.

Applications are assessed against: 

• particular assessment benchmarks
• any matters outlined in the Planning Regulation 2017 (Qld).

They may also be assessed against any other relevant matter identified in the process, such as planning need.

Impact-assessable development applications must be publicly notified. Anyone can lodge submissions about the application during the public notification period.

We consider any 'properly made' submissions we receive during the notification period.

We cannot consider personal or financial situations of an applicant, developer or submitter during an assessment.

Assessment process 

The process is similar to code-assessable applications but includes a public notification period. It may include these standard steps:

• submitting a development application to Council
• possible referral of parts of the application to a state agency
• an opportunity for us to ask for more information about the application
• notifying the public through such things as the newspaper, at the premises or contacting adjoining landowners
• our decision to approve (full or in part) with conditions or refuse a development.

Council determination

Council officers assess and decide code-assessable applications. Sometimes an application may be referred to a special meeting of Council for a decision if it's:

• contentious
• of interest to councillors
• substantially non-compliant with the relevant benchmarks. 

Preliminary approvals and variation requests

Under Schedule 2 of the Planning Act, a variation approval is part of a preliminary approval for premises. It varies the effect of a local planning scheme on a property.  

Read more about applying for a preliminary approval including a variation request(PDF, 306KB) .

There might be restrictions over your proposed development that may be identified in an overlay.

Search the planning maps to see what zones, overlays and plans apply to the proposed development area.

Most developments require the provision of infrastructure to service the development, such as:

• roads
• water supply
• sewerage
• stormwater.

As part of development approval, new developments need to pay a share of the cost of infrastructure. We apply infrastructure charges to do this.