$1,000 fee stays

Rockhampton Regional Council has upheld their decision to introduce a fee for processing negotiated decision notices. The fee ($1,000) was introduced from 1 July 2020 to submit Change Representation for a negotiated decision notice (SS74-76 (changed during appeal period) of Planning Act 2016).

The Institute’s request for the removal of the fee was considered by council recently. The Institute is disappointed with this result in this time of economic recession but acknowledges council’s earlier introduction of a $5,000 new home grant and their no-charge approach to pre-lodgement meetings.

To clarify, after a decision notice is given to an applicant by the assessment manager, the Planning Act provides a 20-business-day period in which the applicant can appeal the decision. If the
development application has been approved, the Planning Act also allows an applicant to make representations to the assessment manager about changing the development approval during this
period. These are called ‘change representations’. Sections 74 to 76 of the Planning Act prescribe when and how change representations may be made, considered, and decided. A replaced decision notice is known as a negotiated decision notice.

Any views that you have on this can be provided to Policy Manager, Martin Zaltron, via email or on (07) 3229 1589.

Email Martin