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How to use the Pre-Lodgement Advice and Self-Assessment Portal

Using the Pre-Lodgement Advice and Self-Assessment Portal

This website portal provides an online tool to assist with the initial Pre-Lodgement step of the Development Application Process.

Pre-Lodgement refers to the initial period of consultation with council before finalising your design and lodgeing the formal development application. Identifying the assessment requirements and correcting any potential issues with your proposed development at this stage will save you time and money over the course of the development project.

The Pre-Lodgement Enquiry process guides you through a series of question-and-answer steps

  1. Start - select the Pre-Lodgement Enquiry page to begin
  2. Address Search - search for your street address, identifying the Zone and any relevant Overlays
  3. Zone selection - (alternate) if you do not have an official street address yet, you can directly choose a Zone
  4. Tables of Assessment - select your proposed development type (and use, if relevant) and our search function will identify the specific assessment categories, benchmarks and requirements which may apply to your development
  5. Self-Assessment Checklist - for some developments, we provide a checklist based on the relevant code items. This allows you to confirm compliance or identify potential issues
  6. Save Checklist Answers - send your self-assessment checklist answers via email for your future reference
Development Types

Material Change of Use

Material change of use, of premises, means any of the following that a regulation made under section 284(2)(a) does not prescribe to be minor change of use;

  1. the start of a new use of the premises;
  2. the re-establishment on the premises of a use that has been abandoned;
  3. a material increase in the intensity or scale of the use of the premises.

Some examples include:

  • starting a feedlot on vacant land;
  • changing the use of a shop building by converting it to a food establishment;
  • restarting a service station use that had been abandoned.

Reconfiguring a Lot

Reconfiguring a lot means;

  1. creating lots by subdividing another lot; or
  2. amalgamating 2 or more lots; or
  3. rearranging the boundaries of a lot by registering a plan of subdivision under the Land Act or Land Title Act; or
  4. dividing land into parts by agreement rendering different parts of a lot immediately available for separate disposition or separate occupation, other than by an agreement that is
    1. a lease for a term, including renewal options, not exceeding 10 years; or
    2. an agreement for the exclusive use of part of the common property for a community titles scheme under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997;
  5. creating an easement giving access to a lot from a constructed road.

Some examples include:

  • subdividing land to create new rural residential lots
  • realigning a boundary between two rural lots
  • creating an access easement to allow vehicles to access the rear of a shop across adjacent land.

Building Work

Operational work means work, other than building work or plumbing or drainage work, in, on, over or under premises that materially affects premises or the use of premises.

Some examples include filling land in a flood plain or constructing works for a subdivisional estate.

Operational Work

Building works – 

  1. means
    1. building, repairing, altering, underpinning (whether by vertical or lateral support), moving or demolishing a building or other structure; or Example— building a retaining wall
    2. works regulated under the building assessment provisions; or
    3. excavating or filling for, or incidental to, the activities stated in subparagraph; or
    4. excavating or filling that may adversely affect the stability of a building or other structure, whether on the premises on which the building or other structure is situated or on adjacent premises; or
    5. supporting (vertically or laterally) premises for activities stated in subparagraph
  2. for a Queensland heritage place, includes—
    1. altering, repairing, maintaining or moving a built, natural or landscape feature on the place; and
    2. excavating, filling or other disturbances to premises that damage, expose or move archaeological artefacts, as defined under the Heritage Act, on the place; and
    3. altering, repairing or removing artefacts that contribute to the place’s cultural heritage significance (furniture or fittings, for example); and
    4. altering, repairing or removing building finishes that contribute to the place’s cultural heritage significance (paint, wallpaper or plaster, for example); and
  3. does not include undertaking—
    1. operations of any type and all things constructed or installed that allow taking or interfering with water under the Water Act 2000; or
    2. tidal works; or
    3. works for reconfiguring a lot