We will issue you a development approval if:
If we are not satisfied your development meets the requirements, we may issue a refusal.
Approvals generally have conditions attached.
We may issue a refusal if:
- you cannot negotiate a favourable outcome with us
- a referral agency directs us to refuse.
To appeal a refusal, contact the Development Tribunal or the Planning and Environment Court.
If you want to change any conditions as part of your development application after we’ve already approved it, you have 20 business days to request a Negotiated Decision Notice or Negotiated Infrastructure Charge Notice. Your change representation may relate to:
- a condition of the approval
- the infrastructure charges notice
- both.
You can also ask to suspend the appeal period for 20 business days. This will allow you more time to put together a change representation.
Asking to suspend the appeal period only
To ask us to suspend the appeal period, submit the 'Suspension of appeal period form APP 027'. You can do this online through our online customer service portal.
Or submit the PDF request form to us within the 20-business-day appeal period. You can get this form from our Technical Advice Team.
Make sure you tick the boxes on the form that confirm whether the change representation you intend to lodge is about the condition of the approval, the infrastructure charges notice, or both.
If you aren’t lodging a change representation now, you won’t need to supply anything else with this request. When we receive your request, we’ll confirm when the suspension expires.
We can only suspend an appeal period once.
Submitting change representations
If you’re submitting a change representation to request a Negotiated Decision Notice or a Negotiated Infrastructure Charge Notice, and you haven’t previously suspended your appeal period, you’ll need to submit:
- the Suspension of appeal period form APP 027 online through the online customer service portal
- a letter detailing the request and any supporting documentation we require.
If you’ve previously suspended your appeal period, and are now submitting a change representation, you don’t need to submit the APP 027 form again.
Email your change representation to development@tr.qld.gov.au with your preferred payment method.
Appealing our decision
The applicant or submitter can appeal our decision to approve or refuse a development application. Members of the public, developers or commercial interests can also lodge an appeal.
Appeals must be within the 20-business-day appeal timeframe. They are generally dealt with in the Planning and Environment Court. Hearings can take many weeks.
A tribunal may deal with some appeals.
The Planning and Environment Court's webpage has more information on the appeal process and downloadable forms.
Appeals about referral agency conditions
If you want to appeal a condition set by a referral agency, please contact that agency directly.
Appeals from a member of the public
Impact-assessable development applications have a formal Public Notification period. This is where the public has a chance to have their say about a development application.
If you’ve made a properly made submission, you have third-party appeal rights to our decision as per Schedule 1 of the Planning Act 2016 (Qld).
Or, if you want to appeal a development approval we’ve issued, contact the Planning and Environment Court within the 20-business-day appeal timeframe after the applicant's appeal period has ended.
Appeals without an appeal period
Some types of development approvals, including minor change approvals or deemed approvals, don’t have an appeal period. Because of this, the process for submitting change representations doesn’t apply for these approvals.
If you believe there’s an error or want to discuss these approvals further, contact the responsible officer as soon as possible.
Find out how to contact a Technical Advice Officer.
Refer to changes to approvals and extensions of time for further information if you want to make a change to the development approval and either:
- the appeal period is over
- the use/activity has already been established.
Carefully read your development approval to determine if you need any other approvals. Examples of other approvals could include
The Planning Act 2016 (Qld) prescribes particular currency periods for development applications. A currency period determines how long you have to act on the development approval and complete it before it lapses.
Refer to changes to approvals and extensions for more information if:
- the end of your currency period is getting close
- you haven’t acted on the approval yet but still want to
- you still want to extend your appeal period.
Approvals generally have conditions attached. It’s important to comply with these conditions once you’ve established use/activity for your development.
Conditions may include:
- operating hours
- number of carparks
- landscaping
- dust
- lighting
- noise.
If we receive a complaint about the use/activity on a development, we’re required to act on that complaint. The Report unauthorised building work page has further information about actions we may take if we receive a complaint.
If you believe certain conditions need to be changed after a use/activity has been established, you can ask to change the application. Find more information in changes to approvals and extensions.
For more information, contact us on 131 872.