Building Applications

Building and Renovation

If you are considering a building or development project, you will likely need an approval. 

Structural projects including building a new home, home extensions or alterations, garages and carports, sheds, fences and retaining walls, swimming pools are all types of building work which generally require building approval (certification) from a private certifier.  

Building certification (also known as a building permit) is needed before you start construction on most types of domestic or commercial building works.  This applies whether you are doing the building work yourself or using a licensed builder. 

Most building works require certification, including but not limited to:

• new dwellings
• alterations and additions to existing buildings (including new roofs)
• house removal and relocation
• demolitions
• garages, carports and sheds (including the DIY kit type, because Hinchinbrook Shire is in a cyclonic region)
• roofed patios, gazebos, pergolas and shade sails (including the DIY kit type)
• fences over 2m in height above natural ground level or within 1.5m of building or other retaining wall
• swimming pools, spas and pool fences

You will need to engage a private building certifier to assess if the proposed work complied with the Building Act 1975 and associated regulations and building standards.  All building certifiers must be registered with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

Council does not do building certification and cannot recommend any particular private certifiers.  The QBCC offers a Finding a Licensed Certifier Service. 

Note: if you are proposing to build closer to boundaries or over/near relevant infrastructure (including sewers, water mains, stormwater drains and combined sanitary drains), you may also need to obtain a Referral Agency permit from Council.

Building Approval Records

Building certifiers must lodge approval documents, plans and inspection details with Council within legislated timeframes. We keep these records for access by current and future owners.

The particular documents that a building certifier must lodge include:

• Notice of engagement (Form 56)
• The building application and associated mandatory documentation (DA Form 2)
• The decision notice (Form 6)
• Final inspection certificate (Form 21), (Form 17) or certificate of classification (Form 11)
• A copy of the plans, drawings and specifications and other stamped, approved documents
• Other documents - including a list of required fire safety installations and required special fire services applying to the building work certificates relied on to decide the application and information relied on to decide the application in relation to local government easements, encumbrances, or estates or interests in land likely to be relevant to the application.

If you are unsure about the status of a building approval, you can order a Building Records Search through Council or contact Council's Planning and Development Team on (07) 4776 4600 for assistance.

Owner Builder

If an owner of a premise intends on completing building work on their own property, an owner builder permit may be required.

An owner builder permit is required for work over $11,000 which allows an owner to personally perform the building work and take on the role of head contractor on a building project.  The owner will then be responsible for engaging and co-ordinating contractors, completion and lodgement of any necessary building approvals and the scheduling of work.

An owner builder permit is not required for work up to the value of $10,999; however a building permit is still required to perform the work.

Note: There are special provisions for farm buildings.  If the value is no more than $27,500 an owner can personally do this work.

Some examples of work which can be conducted as an owner builder:

• New Dwellings;
• Alterations and Additions;
• Shed/ Carports/ Garages;
• Patios; or
• Pergolas.

Some examples of work which cannot be conducted as an owner builder:

• Occupational work such as plumbing, draining, gasfitting or pest control (unless with an occupational licence);
• Fire protection work in excess of $1,100 (unless with appropriate licence);
• Commercial or industrial buildings (e.g. shops, industrial sheds, farm buildings); or
• Multiple Dwellings (e.g. duplexes, boarding houses, blocks of units).

For further information, please contact the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)

Telecommunications in New Developments

If you are a developer or owner-builder, there are important Commonwealth telecommunications rules you need to comply with. For more information visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/tind.

Council-Facilitated Building Certification Services

Hinchinbrook Shire Council offers limited building certification services for development within the local government area.  Where an applicant is unable to engage a private certifier independently, Council may facilitate building certification through its contracted third-party certifier.

In accordance with the Building Act 1975, local governments are required to ensure access to building assessment services within their jurisdiction.  Where certification is arranged through Council, the total application fee will include the contracted certifier’s "Price on Application" (POA) charge, plus an additional 20% on-cost recovery and administrative processing fees.  As this service is intended to act as a fallback mechanism, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek certification through private means in the first instance.

For further information or to obtain a quote, please follow this link - Request for Fee Quote

Referral Agency Response - Design & Siting Variations

(QDC Assessment)

In urban areas within the Hinchinbrook Shire, the placement of single detached dwellings and associated structures (such as garages, carports, patios, and sheds) must comply with specific boundary setback requirements outlined under the Queensland Development Code (QDC).

These rules are set out in Part MP1.1 (for lots under 450m²) and Part MP1.2 (for lots 450m² and over) of the QDC – Design and Siting Standard.  The code establishes the minimum distances that structures can be built from front, rear, and side property boundaries to ensure consistency, safety, and amenity within residential areas.

If your proposed structure complies with all relevant acceptable solutions of the QDC, no further siting assessment by Council is required.

However, if your proposal does not meet one or more of the acceptable solutions, a Referral Agency Response for Design and Siting Variation is required.  In these instances, Hinchinbrook Shire Council, acting as the referral agency under the Planning Regulation 2017, will assess your application against the relevant performance criteria to determine whether the proposed setback is appropriate in the context of site constraints, surrounding development and amenity impacts.

To apply for a Design and Siting Variation, applicants must submit the required application form along with the necessary documentation to enable assessment.  This may include scaled plans, site photographs, written justification, neighbouring owners' non-objection and any additional information relevant to the variation sought.  The application form can be found by following this link: Referral Agency Response - Design & Siting Variation Application Form

For further advice or assistance in preparing your application, please contact Council’s Planning and Development Team on 4776 4600.

Private Works in the Road Reserve

Whether you're building a driveway on your property or looking to make your business more attractive by adding a garden bed to your shop frontage, you may require Council approval.

To ensure a reasonable level of safety for road users, protect existing infrastructure, and monitor design standards, any construction on a road reserve which is the public land outside your property boundary (including road shoulders, footpaths or nature strips) requires Council approval prior to commencement of works. Approval can be sought by completing the Private Works in the Road Reserve Permit Application Form below.

Private Works in the Road Reserve Permit

Document Resources

All the necessary documents can be found below.