The Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme guides where people can develop buildings and use land in the Toowoomba Region.
The Planning Scheme:
- makes sure buildings get built in the right places
- guides building design to fit in with the setting and desired character for the surrounding area
- supports accessible employment and business activities that meet people’s needs
- encourages a mix of housing types to meet the needs of different life stages
- makes communities more resilient to natural hazards such as floods and bushfires
- minimises the impact of development on the environment
- provides affordable, accessible essential services
- moves towards a sustainable future for the region.
Zones and overlays
Through the Planning Scheme, we designate zones and overlays. Zones identify specific types of development that can happen in certain areas, for example residential zones versus industrial zones. Overlays identify areas of land with particular characteristics that people need to consider when planning development in those areas. These characteristics could include:
- natural hazards
- values for the community
- building constraints, such as proximity to an airport, quarry or major pipeline.
View zones and overlays for your property on our Planning Scheme maps.
Zones
Every property has a zone, and some larger properties will have multiple designated zones.
The Planning Scheme outlines:
- when a development approval is needed for each zone
- the standards for new developments, such as building heights, car parking and landscaping.
Each zone has a code with relevant building requirements. These codes are outlined in Part 6 of the Planning Scheme.
Overlays
Overlays also have a code to outline the purpose and goals of the overlay, and any development requirements. Overlay codes are outlined in Part 8 of the Planning Scheme.
Residential zones
Residential zones mainly consist of houses, units and apartments. There may also be existing non-residential activities, such as convenience shops, medical centres or child care centres.
Residential zones may have precincts that allow different types of residential densities. For example, the Park Residential Precinct in Highfields typically has lower density housing, as it is an unsewered area.
Precincts intended for higher densities, including multiple dwellings, are located near a central 'node' such as:
- a major shopping centre
- an employment hub
- a high-quality park
- the University of Southern Queensland.
Rural residential zones
In the rural residential zones, residences usually:
- are on larger blocks
- have sealed roads and garbage collection
- do not have reticulated sewerage services.
This zone maintains a semi-rural landscape, with larger blocks that have limited infrastructure and services.
Rural Zone
This zone is intended for a wide range of agricultural and rural uses, including:
- cropping
- grazing
- horticulture
- primary production activities.
One house is generally permitted on each rural lot, as long as it has access to a constructed road, and wastewater is appropriately treated and disposed of on-site.
There are minimum lot sizes for subdivision of either 100ha or 200ha, depending on the precinct.
Subdivision of rural-zoned land in the South-East Queensland Regional Plan Area is generally prohibited, unless the new lot is at least 100ha.
Centre zones are community hubs that are easy to get to. They are usually located on main roads and public transport routes, and incorporate a mix of activities, including:
- offices
- shops, restaurants and cafes
- motels
- government services
- medical facilities.
Centre zones throughout the region include:
- the Toowoomba City Centre
- major centres in Kearneys Spring, Highfields, Pittsworth, Oakey and Wilsonton
- numerous other local centres in other suburbs and towns.
All centre zones allow existing commercial floor space to change without needing development approvals. For example, subject to meeting accepted development requirements, a shop could be reused as a café or an office.
Industry zones are the areas of land set aside for industrial work. These zones include:
- some of the western side of Toowoomba
- Charlton
- Wellcamp
- Millmerran
- Pittsworth
- Oakey
- some other suburbs and towns.
The Low Impact Industry Zone is for light industrial uses. It's also for warehouses that have minimal environmental impact and are generally compatible with other nearby zones.
The Medium Impact Industry Zone is generally located at least 250m from residential areas. This minimises the impact of noise, odour and other emissions. Retail shops are usually discouraged, but outlets like garden centres or landscaping/agricultural suppliers may be permitted.
The High Impact Industry Zone is land for high-impact uses that is generally located at least 500m away from residential areas. Almost all of the land set aside for High Impact Industry is located in Charlton-Wellcamp. Most non-industrial uses (e.g. retail or residential) are generally not supported in Industry Zones.
Township Zone
The Township Zone applies in several mid-sized towns throughout the region. This zone allows a broad range of activities to take place to meet the needs of the local community. Provided that activities are compatible with each other, this could include a mix of:
- commercial
- residential
- community
- recreational
- industrial.
Mixed Use Zone
This zone applies to land surrounding the central core of the Toowoomba City Centre. It encourages a range of residential and commercial activities that support the central core area. Development in this zone would be less intensive than development in the city centre.
Extractive Industry Zone
The Extractive Industry Zone applies to areas of land where sand, gravel, quarry rock, clay and soil are extracted. It’s important to note that this does not apply to mining activities relating to coal and coal seam gas, as these are regulated by the State Government.
Community Facilities Zone
This zone provides land for community activities under private or public ownership. These could include:
- schools
- higher education facilities
- hospitals
- government areas
- other community uses.
Emerging Communities Zone
This zone identifies land for future urban purposes beyond the life of the current Planning Scheme. It applies to some land in:
- Drayton
- Glenvale
- Torrington
- Cotswold Hills.
Limited Development (Constrained Land) Zone
This zone identifies land that is significantly affected by one or more development constraints, such as:
- flooding
- land contamination
- defence requirements
- past or future mining activities
- historical subdivisions that are difficult to service
- buffer areas.
Land in this zone has a limited potential for development.
We do not rezone properties based on a property owner's request if the zoning conflicts with their development proposal. Blocks of land need to stay consistent with the zone they are in.
If the zoning of a site conflicts with your proposal, consider if this is the right site for your development. Contact a Technical Advice Officer to discuss your situation.
We will usually consider rezoning if recommendations to change the zone result from:
- a review of policies or strategies, for example, industry or commercial type land reviews
- local plans
- investigations, for example, if the land is not required for public purposes or there has been an error in translation from former planning schemes
- an approved development application to vary the Planning Scheme.
The Airport Environs Overlay protects the existing and future operational requirements of the Toowoomba Airport and the Oakey Army Aviation Centre. It can apply to properties up to 13km away from these facilities. It identifies land where airport noise may be intrusive or areas where aircraft may be susceptible to bird and bat strikes. It also ensures buildings and structures, including cranes, do not intrude into operational airspace.
The Planning Scheme doesn’t currently include the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport in this overlay. However, the State Government has designated the Wellcamp airport as a ‘strategic airport’. To understand the development requirements for this airport, read the State Planning Policy for Strategic Airports and Aviation Facilities.
Bushfire Hazard Overlay
This overlay protects the safety of people and property in bushfire-prone areas. It ensures that development in these areas doesn’t increase the exposure of people and property to an unacceptable risk.
Landslide Hazard Overlay
This overlay ensures that development on steep or potentially unstable land is located, designed and constructed to minimise risk to people and property.
Flood Hazard Overlay
This overlay identifies flood hazard areas and ensures that any development protects the safety of people and property. It also protects flood plain functions.
The Heritage and Neighbourhood Character overlays identify places and areas with heritage or character significance. These overlays help to protect such places and areas to ensure we maintain heritage values.
Building restrictions are in place for these properties to ensure:
- changes comply with heritage significance and are sympathetic to character
- demolition of buildings of heritage or character significance is avoided.
Scenic Amenity Overlay
The Scenic Amenity Overlay seeks to protect landscapes with high scenic amenity value.
Environmental Significance Overlay
This overlay avoids or minimises the impacts of development on the biodiversity values of:
- ecosystems
- ecological processes
- areas of ecological significance
- biodiversity corridors.
It also protects the ecological, hydrological and water quality values of natural waterways and wetlands.
Water Resource Catchment Overlay
This overlay maintains water resource catchment areas to maintain and improve storage and water quality. It works to protect recharge capacity.
Agricultural Land Overlay
This overlay protects the productive capacity of land. It also ensures that subdivision or boundary realignments do not further fragment rural land and cause conflicts between farming and residential uses.
Extractive Resources Overlay
This overlay applies to land and transport routes surrounding significant extractive resources. It protects resources by preventing people from establishing sensitive activities, such as housing, near the resource.
Regional Infrastructure Corridors and Substations Overlay
This overlay protects existing significant infrastructure, such as pipelines and substations, by creating a buffer between infrastructure and sensitive uses.