Reconfiguring a lot generally refers to the following:
Reconfiguring a lot proposals are usually considered assessable development, which requires obtaining approval from Council. To obtain approval, the lodgement of a development application to Council is required where an assessment process based on the property’s zoning (code or impact) will be conducted and a decision made (approval or refusal).
Use our online tool to find further information regarding the requirement for approval at your property.
When lodging an application, the following materials are required to allow the application to be considered ‘properly made’ and for the assessment process to start:
Depending on the nature of the application, technical reports may also be required for Council’s assessment of the application (traffic, flood, stormwater, noise etc).
Well-prepared applications may proceed through the assessment process faster.
An application can be submitted to Council by one of the following methods:
Fees are applicable to each application lodged with Council. To find the fees associated with a reconfiguring a lot application, please refer to Council's Fees and Charges schedule.
The timeframe for an application to be assessed by Council varies depending on the level of assessment. The below illustration demonstrates the legislative timeline for a code assessable application requiring referral.
For impact assessable applications add 15 business days for public notification (30 business days for a variation request application) and 10 business days for the assessment manager to consider submissions. Timeframes can be extended by mutual agreement.
The Townsville City Plan specifies the acceptable outcomes for minimum lot sizes and dimensions for each zone. Minimum lot dimensions refer to the total area, road frontage and depth of each lot. The specified lot dimensions align with the City Plan’s intended use of the property. To find the minimum lot dimensions for a property, please visit Part 9 of the Townsville City Plan.
Council levies infrastructure charges for development which generates additional demand upon trunk infrastructure networks.
For more information, please read Council’s infrastructure charges page or contact Council for a fee-free infrastructure charge estimate before engaging in any development activity.
Once the conditions of your development permit have been fulfilled, including payment of infrastructure charges, the plan of survey demonstrating the new lot arrangement will need to be submitted to Council for endorsement. After Council endorses and signs the plan of survey, the plan can then be lodged with the Department of Resources to be registered.
Council provides the following easement templates:
Disclaimer
The use of documents pertaining to private easements available on this website is at the user’s own risk. Townsville City Council makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the reliability, accuracy, or adequacy of the information provided within the documents.
Townsville City Council recommends you seek independent legal advice prior to use of these documents. Townsville City Council shall not be held liable for any errors, omissions, or for any consequence arising from the use of these documents.
By accessing and using these documents, users agree to accept this disclaimer in full.
Once a development permit for reconfiguring a lot is obtained (approval issued), additional permits may be required, such as:
Please note: there may be additional approvals required beyond the permits listed above.
During the development assessment process, some applications require assessment by referral agencies. Referrals are commonly required for properties that are subject to state interests or private entity infrastructure. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure the application is referred to all applicable referral agencies.
Yes. To streamline the development assessment process and improve development outcomes, we recommend discussing the development proposal in detail with Council before lodging an application. Use our online booking form to arrange a free pre-lodgement meeting with Council.
A code assessable application is required for uses that align with the property’s zoned intent and is assessed against the applicable codes from the Townsville City Plan.
An impact assessable application is required for uses that are not anticipated by the planning scheme and assessed against the entirety of the Townsville City Plan, which includes strategic intent.
During the 15-day public notification period, members of the public can make submissions for or against the proposed development. The assessment manager reviews all properly made submissions and considers valid planning grounds raised.
Public notification is mandatory for Impact Assessable Development Applications. The notification process must last at least 15 business days and include:
Council will consider any submissions received during the public notification period during its assessment.
Generally, for a reconfiguring a lot application to be supported by the Council, it needs to be demonstrated that the proposal, at the minimum meets the following criteria:
If the above criteria and all other relevant criteria within the planning scheme cannot be met, Council may not support the application for approval.
During the application process, there are several requirements that must be met, including the payment of various fees. These fees can be categorized into Council fees and non-Council fees.
Council fees include:
Non-Council fees include:
Yes. If an approval for an existing development already exists, you may request alterations to the approval. Depending on the scale of changes, the approval can be achieved through the 'minor change', or 'other change' mechanism.
