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Information for Planning Applicants

Pre-lodgement Meetings

Council offers a free pre-lodgement service.

Pre-lodgement services can help with questions about specific land sites, planning schemes, land use, future development proposals and preparation of development applications.

The advice provided will help to:

give greater confidence in an outcome
deal with difficult issues early
improve the quality of applications lodged
give guidance on supporting information that is required
identify relevant referral agencies, legislative and planning scheme requirements
identify engineering, environmental and landscaping technical issues
provide specific guidance on technical requirements about conditions of approval
understand assessment processes and clarify timeframes
ensure better communication
reduce assessment time and cost

You can request an appointment by completing the pre-lodgement meeting request form and emailing it to mail@somerset.qld.gov.au

Council will organise a meeting within ten business days after receiving the request. This time is needed to review and prepare the advice.

Development Application Forms

The DA Forms are the approved forms under section 51 of the Planning Act 2016. For all developments lodged on or after 3 July 2017, these forms must be used for applications lodged under this Act.

For development applications for material change of use, reconfiguring a lot, or operational works you must complete:

DA Form 1 – Development application details

For development applications involving Building Works Assessable against the Planning Scheme (BWAPS) applications you must complete:

DA Form 2 – Building works details

Applications are to be lodged with the documents required under the form and must be made to the assessment manager (refer to schedule 8 of Planning Regulation 2017 to confirm the assessment manager for a development application).

Some applications may require owners consent (section 51 of the Planning Act 2016). Council has an owner’s consent form that an applicant may choose to provide with their application to meet the requirements under the Act.

Individual owner’s consent (F714)

Company owner’s consent (F715)

Request for Referral Agency

Applications to Council as a referral agency under Schedule 9 of the Planning Regulation 2017 within the Somerset Region must be made to Council on the below form.

LG Referral Agency Assessment Application Form (F886 )

Request to Approve Plan of Subdivision

Applications to approve a Plan of Subdivision under schedule 18 of the Planning Regulation 2017 within the Somerset Region must be made on the below form.

Application to approve plan of subdivision (F713)

Request to Change Application

The Planning Act Form 5 - Change Application is the approved form under section 282 of the Planning Act 2016 published by the State Government.

This form if for all change applications lodged under s78 of the Planning Act 2016 and the application must be accompanied by the completed form and documents required and presented to the assessment manager.

Planning Act Form 5 - Change Application

Request to Extend Currency Period

The following form is for applications requesting to extend the Currency Period of the development permit lodged under s86 of the Planning Act 2016 within the Somerset Region.

The application must be accompanied by the completed form and documents required.

Request to Extend Currency Period (F771)

Planning Act 2016 and Regulations

The Planning Act 2016 (PA) is the principal legislation for Queensland’s planning and development system, and came into effect on 3 July 2017. It replaces the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) and includes a suite of new legislative instruments.

Applications lodged prior to 3 July 2017 will continue to be assessed under SPA, but all new applications will be assessed under PA.

The new development assessment system under the PA includes the Planning Regulation 2017, the Development Assessment Rules (DA Rules), the State Development Assessment Provisions (version 2.0) and the State Planning Policy (July 2017).

You can find out more about the new development assessment process by visiting the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning’s website.

DA Mapping System

The DA mapping system contains Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping layers kept, prepared or sourced by the state that relate to development assessment and matters of interest to the state in assessing development applications. The system also includes hyperlinks to registers maintained by relevant state agencies used to identify matters of interest, such as the Queensland Heritage Register.

Mapping layers in the DA mapping system include information from:

The State Assessment and Referral Agency, (SARA).
Priority development areas.
The Regional Planning Interests Act 2014

Access the DA mapping system

Local Government Vegetation Clearing

Vegetation clearing is an assessable development in the Somerset region (effective 1 March 2016), with the introduction of the Somerset Region Planning Scheme (SRPS). Council endorsed this measure to have increased influence on the vegetation management activities in Somerset, as the extent and nature of vegetation is critical to maintaining the regions scenic appeal, ecological function, and the livability and identity of the Somerset community.

Council also acknowledges that Somerset is a largely rural community, and as such incidental clearing can be required from time to time in support of safety, rural production and farm infrastructure. As such, there are exemptions in the planning scheme and associated legislation for activities considered to be minor operational works, as defined by the SRPS. Clearing which is minor operational works does not require Council approval – for more information, refer to the Vegetation Clearing under the Planning Scheme factsheet.

If you intend to claim an exemption it is recommended that you notify Council of your intentions to clear and property description. You can do this by phoning (07) 5424 4000 or emailing your enquiry to mail@somerset.qld.gov.au. This process will confirm that the vegetation management activities proposed are consistent with the exemption definitions.

Infrastructure Charges

Approved development applications for proposed developments within Somerset that introduce a new use, a change in use or an increase in the scale or intensity of an existing use will usually incur infrastructure charges to cover the extra demand that will be placed on Council’s trunk infrastructure networks. A Building Works application (excluding houses) may also attract infrastructure charges, where there has been no approved development application applicable for the work, and the Building Works application increases the scale or intensity of the use on the site. Charges collected or assets constructed contribute to the provision of essential trunk infrastructure to service new development. Trunk infrastructure is significant infrastructure that supports large areas or catchments, such as major stormwater pipes for an entire neighbourhood, and is classified into the following Council networks:

Park and Open Space
Transport
Stormwater

Queensland Urban Utilities also have the ability to apply infrastructure charges for their water and waste water trunk infrastructure as part of their water approval process. For further information, Queensland Urban Utilities can be contacted on (07) 3432 2200 to determine if any charges will be payable as part of your development or alternatively you can visit http://www.urbanutilities.com.au/development-services

Calculation of Infrastructure charges are undertaken for each development as part of the approval process. An Infrastructure Charges Notice (ICN) is issued with the Development Permit listing any applicable infrastructure charges for the proposed development. Infrastructure charges will be due and payable according to the trigger for payment as outlined in the ICN.

View the Charges Resolution and associated attachments