Running a business from home in Sunshine Coast — do you need approval?

Zone by zone

Home-based business. Residential zones first.

Overlays that change the answer

• Acid sulfate soils overlay. Development otherwise accepted becomes code assessable against the Acid sulfate soils overlay code if in Area 1 it excavates 100 m³ or more or fills 500 m³ or more (average depth 0.5 m or more), or in Area 2 it excavates 100 m³ or more at or below 5 m AHD. (Table 5.10.1)
• Airport environs overlay (public safety area). A material change of use for a residential, business, industrial, community or sport and recreation use, other than in an existing building, that would otherwise be accepted becomes code assessable. (Table 5.10.1)
• Height of buildings and structures overlay. Any development exceeding the maximum height shown on the overlay map becomes impact assessable. (Table 5.10.1)
• Heritage and character areas overlay (local heritage place). Building work (other than maintenance not affecting appearance or significance) and otherwise-accepted changes of use become code assessable; anything involving demolition, relocation or removal of significant elements becomes impact assessable. (Table 5.10.1)
• Heritage and character areas overlay (land in proximity to a local heritage place). A material change of use other than in an existing building that would otherwise be accepted becomes code assessable. (Table 5.10.1)
• Heritage and character areas overlay (character area). External work to a character building (extensions forward of the front building line or over 10 m², enclosing a front verandah, changing roof/front cladding, roof pitch or front windows) becomes code assessable; demolition, relocation or removal of a character building becomes impact assessable; an otherwise-accepted change of use outside an existing building becomes code assessable. (Table 5.10.1)

Worth knowing in Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 (Amendment 27), Part 5, converted from the council PDF. A material change of use is impact assessable unless the table says otherwise or the use isn't listed; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable unless Table 5.6.1 says otherwise; building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise (section 5.3.2). The scheme writes 'Accepted development' with a code in the requirements column; under section 5.3.3 that is accepted development subject to requirements, and failing an acceptable outcome makes it code assessable — mapped here as accepted_subject_to_requirements. A dwelling house (including a secondary dwelling) is listed only in the Low, Medium and High density residential, Tourist accommodation, Emerging community, Limited development (landscape residential), Rural and Rural residential zones; elsewhere the 'all other uses' impact row applies. Schedules 6, 7 and 10 of the Planning Regulation 2017 override the scheme (5.3.2(10)). Building work (Table 5.7.1, not involving a change of use) is accepted if minor building work or tied to an accepted use, accepted subject to the applicable use code where it has accepted-development outcomes, and otherwise code assessable — the Building Act building approval is separate. Demolition isn't singled out in Table 5.7.1; only the Heritage and character areas overlay makes it impact assessable. Vegetation clearing that isn't exempt vegetation clearing is code assessable against the Vegetation management code in every zone (Table 5.8.1); filling or excavation over 50 m³ is code assessable except on Rural/Rural residential lots over 5,000 m² (up to 150 m³). Minimum lot sizes sit in Table 9.4.4.3.2 of the Reconfiguring a lot code, not Part 5. Precincts and local plans: Precinct LDR1 (Protected Housing Area) makes a dual occupancy impact assessable in the Low density residential zone; Buderim BUD LPP-1 and Caloundra West CAW LPP-1 make any extra lot impact assessable; the Town of Seaside precinct (Maroochy North Shore MNS LPP-2) accepts any use or building work in accordance with its subdivision permit, otherwise impact; the Palmview declared master planned area follows its Structure Plan; the Emerging community and Tourism zones expect a master plan/approved plan of development that may vary categories; the airport and aerodrome precincts, Kawana, Nambour, Sippy Downs, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore local plans vary business uses (section 5.9). Where premises are in more than one zone, local plan or overlay the highest category applies; an overlay category overrides a zone or local plan category (5.3.2(8)). Many overlays (bushfire, flood, coastal protection, landslide, scenic amenity, regional infrastructure, water resource catchments) bring 'no change' of category but add their overlay code as a benchmark when the development is already assessable.

What else you'll need

• Nothing beyond the planning scheme's own requirements.

More about Sunshine Coast

• What can you build in Sunshine Coast? Council overview and development applications
• Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
• What Sunshine Coast Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
• A Landbrief site report for your Sunshine Coast address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
• Development applications in Maroochydore
• Development applications in Coolum Beach
• Development applications in Buderim
• Development applications in Yandina
• Development applications in Mooloolaba
• Development applications in Caloundra
• Development applications in Palmview
• Development applications in Beerwah

Other projects in Sunshine Coast

Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallTownhousesShop, café or officeClear treesDemolish

The statewide position on this project: Home business in Queensland.