BCC discounts some DA fees

Brisbane City Council announced a range of initiatives to help the city recover from the impacts of coronavirus. These are aimed at stimulating new building and construction, particularly smaller scale projects that align with Australian Government initiatives and provide work for smaller and medium businesses.

These initiatives commenced from July 1 and include:

  • Free pre-lodgement lodgement meetings from 1 July to 30 September 2020
  • 50% discount on pre-lodgement meeting from 1 October to 31 December 2020
  • Free lodgement of new dwelling house, extension to a dwelling that are not minor, and home-based business, lodged after 1 July and not withdrawn from 1 July to 30 September 2020
  • 50% off lodgement of new dwelling house, extension to a dwelling that are not minor, and home-based business, lodged from 1 October to 31 December 2020
  • 50% discount on lodgement of extension to the currency period of a development approval for one year where this is the first extension, for approvals due to expire by 1 June 2021
  • Reduced minimum value for bonding uncompleted works.

Brisbane City Council has also committed to faster assessment for requests to change a development approval (minor change). A network of dedicated council officers will streamline the assessment process where minor changes (Planning Act 2016 s81) are required to an existing development approval that is shovel ready.

In addition, council has dedicated a house and homes assessment team to prioritise and assess small domestic scale applications (other than subdivisions) to stimulate new building and construction. This includes a new Building and Construction Hotline – 133 PLAN (133 7526).

The Institute is supportive of council announcing these initiatives to assist the property industry during this time and set the foundations for recovery. Council also announced, as part of its 2020-2021 budget their Brisbane green buildings incentive. We will share more information with members when they become available.