Brisbane
Town Planning in Brisbane
Development applications, Planning and Environment Court appeals, due diligence and full-project coordination for property owners and developers across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
- 98% planning approval success rate across Australia
- 70+ years of combined planning experience
- Hundreds of approvals managed across SEQ councils
- End-to-end support from due diligence to final approval
Brisbane development is assessed under the Planning Act 2016, the Planning Regulation 2017, and Brisbane City Plan 2014, with neighbourhood plans and overlays sitting on top.
The rules read the same for everyone. How Brisbane City Council and the surrounding SEQ councils apply them in practice is where projects stall. That is the part we know.
We work with property owners, developers, architects and business operators on Brisbane and SEQ projects of every scale, from a single house or commercial fitout through to multi-unit residential, reconfigurations and large-format signage. Our job is to confirm the right assessment pathway for your site, prepare an application the council can actually approve, and run it through to a decision notice.
When a project hits resistance, we run the planning case at the Planning and Environment Court and through its alternative dispute resolution process. When your works don’t need approval at all, we’ll tell you that too. We don’t bill for work you don’t need.
Why Choose Us for Brisbane Projects
98% Approval Success Rate
Nearly all the applications we lodge get approved. That's the product of careful pre-lodgement strategy and matching the proposal to the assessment benchmarks before lodging, not a lucky run.
One team, end-to-end
You don't hand off between consultants. We manage the planning pathway from site assessment to final consent, including coordination with architects, traffic engineers, arborists, heritage consultants, surveyors and BASIX assessors where the council requires them.
70+ years of combined planning experience
Our planners have worked across residential, commercial, industrial, hospitality and retail projects in councils around Australia, including material change of use and reconfiguring a lot applications, change applications, and appeals to the Planning and Environment Court.
Honest reads, not over-promises
If your site can't support what you're trying to build, you'll hear it on the first call. We'd rather lose a brief than walk a client into a refusal.
Brisbane Town Planning Services
Here’s what we handle on Brisbane and SEQ projects, from feasibility through to the Planning and Environment Court.
Development Applications (DAs)
Preparation and lodgement of DAs under the relevant Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan. Includes site analysis, zoning and overlay assessment, compliance with the Apartment Design Guide (SEPP 65) and Low Rise Housing Diversity Code where applicable, neighbourhood character response, and the Statement of Environmental Effects that argues why consent should be granted.
Due Diligence and Feasibility
Pre-purchase or pre-design assessment of zones, overlays, heritage controls, bushfire and flood mapping (BAL ratings, 10/50 vegetation, flood planning levels), and the development potential of your site. Includes a clear written read on whether your concept is permissible, partially permissible, or going to require a Clause 4.6 variation.
Strategic Planning Advice
Written planning advice for clients who need a defensible position before they invest, build, or proceed. Useful for buyers, developers comparing sites, and architects briefing clients.
Land and Environment Court Representation
Appeals to the Queensland Planning and Environment Court against DA refusals, conditions disputes, and deemed refusals. We brief and run the case, coordinate expert evidence, attend alternative dispute resolution (ADR) conferences, and represent clients through to hearing.
Section 4.55 Modifications and DA Reviews
Section 4.55 modifications to existing development consents, secondary consent matters, and Section 8.2 reviews when council has refused or imposed unworkable conditions.
Signage and Advertising Permits
Planning approvals for business identification, promotion, and major signage under the Exempt and Complying Development Codes SEPP and individual LEP signage controls. Strong track record across retail, hospitality and fitness industry rollouts.
Change of Use Applications
Consent for new business uses including food premises, places of public worship, medical centres, education establishments, and licensed venues. We handle the planning side; you focus on the operation.
Council Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
Pre-lodgement meetings, response to council requests for additional information, objector negotiation, and Section 34 conciliation at the Land and Environment Court.
Not sure which service you need?
Planning can be complex—but we’re here to make it simple. Get in touch and we’ll help you figure out the right next step for your project.
How We Work In Brisbane
We don’t just lodge applications. We manage the journey from early planning advice through to final compliance and beyond. Here’s how it runs for Brisbane projects.
Site
Assessment
We review your property's zone, overlays and the relevant clauses of the LEP and DCP to confirm what's possible, what's restricted, and what's worth pursuing.
Planning
Advice
With the controls mapped, we set the approval strategy and flag the issues that could slow your project before they cost time or money.
Application
Preparation
We prepare the Town Planning Report, coordinate supporting documents and plans, and lodge with Brisbane City Council or the relevant SEQ council. Then we keep it moving through assessment.
Certification &
Coordination
Once the decision notice is issued, we work through the conditions of approval and coordinate the handover into the building and certification stage so the conditions don't become a problem on site.
Post-Approval
Support
Projects change. Designs evolve. Conditions need testing, and approvals sometimes need a change application. We stay on the project after the approval is in your hands.
Who Our Town Planning Is For
- Property owners planning a house, dual occupancy, extension, or change of use
- Developers pursuing multi-unit residential, reconfigurations, mixed-use, or commercial projects across Brisbane and SEQ
- Business operators opening, expanding, or fitting out premises in Brisbane (hospitality, retail, fitness, health, childcare, education)
- Architects and designers who want a planning consultant to handle the council pathway while they focus on the design
- Buyers doing pre-purchase planning due diligence on a Brisbane or SEQ site
If you’re at the “is this even worth pursuing?” stage, that’s exactly when a planning consultation pays off. Start before the site is bought, not after.
Proven Results That Speak for Themselves
With hundreds of successful projects across Australia, our numbers say it all.
Brisbane Town Planning FAQs
Do you have an office in Brisbane?
Our head office is in East Gosford on the NSW Central Coast, about an hour north of Sydney CBD. We service Brisbane projects regularly with site visits, council meetings and Planning and Environment Court. Most clients find the day-to-day work runs faster by phone, email and video than it would in-person.
How long does a development application take in Brisbane?
The statutory assessment period for most local DAs in NSW is 40 days, but real timeframes are longer once additional information requests, integrated approvals, neighbour notification and council workload are factored in. Straightforward residential DAs commonly run 3 to 6 months. Complex DAs, or those sent to a Brisbane Local Planning Panel for determination, run longer. We give you a realistic timeline before you lodge, based on the council and the scope.
What does a DA cost in Brisbane?
Council application fees are set by Brisbane City Council’s fees and charges schedule and depend on the type and scale of your development. That’s one part of the cost. Add planning consultant fees, plus any supporting reports your site needs (traffic, heritage, arborist, flood, bushfire, acoustic). We give you a fixed-fee scope at the start, and we’ll tell you which supporting reports your site will actually need before you commit to spending on them.
Do I need a DA for my project?
Not always. Some works qualify as exempt development (no consent required) or complying development (a fast-track Complying Development Certificate from a private certifier). The threshold depends on the works, the zone, the lot size and the site constraints. We’ll tell you within one call whether you can avoid a DA, and what’s the fastest legitimate route to approval for your project.
Can you represent us at the Planning and Environment Court?
Yes. We run appeals on refusals, conditions disputes and deemed refusals, prepare and coordinate expert town planning evidence, and attend the Court’s alternative dispute resolution conferences. For contested hearings we work alongside your legal representation, managing the planning case from start to finish.
We've already had a DA refused. Can you help?
Often, yes. We assess the refusal reasons, your timeframe to appeal, and whether the right path is a Section 8.2 review, a Section 34 conciliation, a Class 1 appeal, or a fresh DA with the issues fixed. Each route has different cost, time, and risk implications. We’ll give you the read before you commit.
Do you only work on big developments?
No. Houses, dual occupancies, extensions, small lot reconfigurations and minor commercial fitouts are a regular part of our caseload, alongside multi-unit residential and larger projects.
How do we get started?
Send us your site address and a short description of what you’re trying to build. We’ll come back with an initial read, usually within one business day, and tell you whether a paid scope is the right next step or whether it’s something we can sort out in a single call.