The application process

Once your properly made application has been prepared, it can be lodged with Council.

How to lodge the application

As of 3 July 2017, Council's development group went paperless to coincide with the introduction of the Planning Act 2016.  This means that any applications lodged from 3 July 2017 will be processed digitally and that unless the applicant notifies the development group, all correspondence will be issued electronically via email.

Planning applications can be submitted electronically via email to Council's development assessment team at development@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.  Emails are to be a maximum size of 25MB.  Applications can still be lodged in hardcopy, however all communication post lodgement will be via email unless otherwise requested.

If you have any questions regarding submission of applications, please contact Council's development group.

After lodgement

The following information provides an overview of the Development Assessment process undertaken after lodgement of your application.

To generate an indicative process and timeline of your development application, visit the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning’s website here.

Part 1: Application

If your application is properly made in accordance with section 51 of the Planning Act 2016, you will receive a confirmation notice from the assessment manager.

If your application is not properly made, you will receive an action notice from the assessment manager. Once the applicant takes the required actions to submit a properly made application, the assessment manager will then issue a confirmation notice.

Part 2: Referral

Where a proposed development triggers state referral under the Planning Regulation 2017, the development application requires external referral to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).

For more information on state referral triggers, refer to the Planning Regulation 2017.

Part 3: Information request

This part provides an opportunity for the assessment manager, concurrence agency or advice agency to ask the applicant for more information if there is insufficient information to allow a decision to be made.

This part also gives the applicant the ability to advise (on the approved form) that they do not want to receive an information request.

Part 4: Public notification

Impact assessable applications require the applicant to carry out public notification. To view the statutory requirements for public notification, please refer to Chapter 3, section 53 of the Planning Act.

Part 5: Decision

The assessment manager assesses and decides the application, issuing a decision notice to the applicant. This notice details the decision to approve, approve with conditions or refuse the application.

For more information about the Development Assessment process, Queensland Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning has developed a guide which is available here.