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Common Town Planning Terms and Their Meanings

The use of specialised terms and acronyms It can be very confusing to the general public and those new to property development. It can sometimes sound like people are speaking another language. Below we have broken down some of the common terms and acronyms you will hear from town planners and people within the property development space.

City Plan or Planning Scheme

The City Plan or Planning Scheme is the statutory document that governs land use and development within a local region. Each council has its own City Plan or Planning Scheme that is used by both the public and private sector to determine what you can and cannot do with a given piece of land. It also provides rules around things such as setbacks, site coverages, height limits etc.

 

Development Approval or Development Application (both referred to as a DA)

 

This is perhaps the most common of the acronyms you will hear in the property development game. It can be a little confusing at times as the same acronym (DA) is used to describe both a Development Approval and the Development Application. You cannot have one without the other, with a Development Application describing the submission to the local council for a property development the Development Approval this subsequent approval issued by the local council.

Material Change of Use (Commonly Referred to as an MCU)

A Material Change of Use is the most common type of development application.  A Material Change of Use refers to a change in the way a property is used. It doesn’t always have to be a change in land use, it can also include increasing the scale or intensity of an existing use at a property.

 

Building Approval (BA)

A Building Approval is issued by a private certifier and allows for construction works to begin. A BA is issued after a Development Approval is issued. In Queensland a BA is issued by apricate certifier and not the local Council.

 

Reconfiguration of a Lot (Commonly Referred to as an ROL)

A Reconfiguration of a Lot is known in layman terms as a subdivision. It can also include creating an easement or re locating an existing property boundary, but most commonly it is used for the subdivision of land.

Code Assessment and Impact Assessment

When completing a development application (Material Change of Use and Reconfiguring a Lot) it will likely trigger one of two levels of assessment: code assessment or impact assessment. The differences between the two are outlined below:

Code Assessment:

  • Code assessable development is expected development (as defined by Brisbane City Council)
  • Code assessable development requires a development application
  • All relevant benchmarks / codes are to be assessed
  • A code assessable application is approved around 99% of the time in Queensland. If an application is deemed to have a number of non compliances but is code assessable it is common for Council to condition changes to the plans to be more in line with the codes. So the approval rate can be deceiving as an application maybe technically approved, but is heavily conditioned.
  • A code assessable application is not required to be publicly notified

 

Impact Assessment:

  • Impact assessable development is generally required where there is a need to consider the potential impacts of a proposal (as defined by Brisbane City Council)
  • Impact assessable development requires analysis against the entire City Plan / Planning Scheme. This includes the Strategic Framework, which is the overarching vision for a City / Region
  • All relevant benchmarks / codes are to be assessed
  • A impact assessable application has a much higher refusal rate than code assessable applications
  • A code assessable application is required to be publicly notified and the public are able to lodge submissions
  • Any submitters may appeal the decision by Council

If you are curious about any town planning language contact us today and we will be able to help out!