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Change a development approval

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Find out what’s involved in changing or extending a development approval.

Residential units at the head of a Bulimba cul-de-sac. Includes glass balaustrade and timber treatment and grey fence.

In some circumstances, you may want to make a change to a development approval you’ve received or request a time extension.

The process for changing or extending a development approval is guided by the Planning Act 2016. This includes:

  • the types of changes you can make  
  • how proposed changes are assessed 
  • how extension applications are assessed.

Steps to change your development approval

1 Understand the difference between a minor change and other change

Before applying to change a development approval, it’s important to understand the types of changes you can make. 

There are 2 types of changes. Each one is defined and assessed in accordance with the Planning Act 2016 and Planning Regulation 2017. 

 

Minor change

A minor change application is assessed in accordance with s81 of the Planning Act 2016 and doesn’t need to be publicly notified.

A change can be considered minor if it does not:

  • result in ‘substantially different development’
  • include prohibited development
  • introduce impact assessment where previously code
  • introduce new grounds for assessment by a referral agency
  • introduce a new or additional referral agency.

A development is considered ‘substantially different’ if it:

  • involves a new use
  • applies to a new parcel of land
  • dramatically changes the built form
  • changes the operation of the development from that intended
  • impacts on traffic flow or transport networks
  • introduces new impacts, or increases severity of known impacts
  • removes an offset component
  • impacts on infrastructure provisions.

Other change

Changes that aren’t considered to be minor and result in substantially different development are known as 'other' changes.

An other change application is assessed in accordance with s82 of the Planning Act 2016 and the Development Assessment Rules – version 2.0.

Assessment follows the timeframes of a new development application and may need public notification.

2 Get advice

Discuss your proposed change with a planning or industry expert. They can advise on preparing your application and help ensure you meet all the legal requirements.

Contact Council

You can meet with our planning experts for a preliminary change application discussion or seek written advice on extending a currency period. 

Consult with professionals and experts

Find an industry expert to assess the scope and nature of your proposed change and help you navigate the change application process.

3 Prepare your documents

You‘ll need to submit supporting documentation with your change application, including:

  • clear descriptions of each change and the conditions they affect
  • plans with clearly marked changes (e.g. with use of ‘clouds’ or highlighting)
  • a full set of plans, not just the pages with amendments.

Identify and notify affected entities

For a minor change application, you’ll need to identify any affected entities. 

An affected entity is: 

  • a referral agency for the development application, if the responsible entity is the assessment manager or another agency 
  • the assessment manager of the development application, if the responsible entity is a referral agency 
  • the assessment manager and any referral agency of the development application, if the responsible entity is the Planning and Environment Court 
  • another person prescribed by regulation.

Affected entities need to be notified of your change application. You may also seek a pre-request response from an affected entity before lodging your change application.

4 Lodge a change application

The easiest way to lodge your change application is online.

  1. Download and complete the Change Application form (Planning Act Form 5) 
  2. Complete Council's online form and attach Planning Act Form 5 to your application. 
Lodge an application

Fees
 

Council’s online lodgement forms will collect the relevant fee information, as per the fee schedule, to determine the appropriate fee. 

You’ll then receive a quote with payment options.

5 Assessment and decision

For a minor change, Council must consider the request based on:

  • the proposed change, to the extent it differs from the original approval
  • any properly made submissions received for the original or other change application
  • advice from any affected entity, including any matters they may have previously assessed
  • the matters relevant to the assessment when the original application was properly made (i.e. the planning scheme version in effect at the time) 
  • all matters that would be assessed if the change application were a development application 
  • any upcoming amendments to the planning scheme
  • any other relevant matter.

We’ll assess the change request within 20 business days, unless more time is needed.

If the development is subject to an affected entity, we can’t make a decision until we’ve received a response from them or the 20 business days has been reached.

Depending on your change application, we may assess it within a code or impact application timeframe (whichever is applicable).

Looking for something else

How we assess development applications

Development application types

Getting expert advice

Extend a development approval

You can apply to extend the period during which a development approval remains current (known as the 'currency period') before it lapses.

If your development approval was decided under the Planning Act 2016 and doesn't specify a currency period, it is:

  • for building work: 2 years for the development to substantially start
  • for operational work: 2 years for the development to substantially start 
  • for material change of use: 6 years for the first change of use to start
  • for reconfiguring a lot not requiring operational works: 4 years for the subdivision plan for the reconfiguration to be lodged to Council for plan sealing.

To apply to extend the currency period, complete Council's request to change or extend an existing approval online form.  

Request an extension

Frequently asked questions

For a minor change and extension applications, Council has 20 business days to assess the request. If there is insufficient information or the application is complex, further time may be required.

For other change applications, Council’s assessment timeframe follows the same process as a new development application.

You can request to change your development approval online.

Before applying to change a development approval, it’s important to understand the types of changes you can make.   

Follow our step-by-step guide on how to change your development approval.

You can apply to extend the currency period of a development approval online if the request is received before the current period expires.