Shops, cafés and offices in Redland — do you need approval?
Redland City Council's planning scheme — the Redland City Plan 2018 — decides whether a shop, café or office needs a development application, and the answer depends on the zone your property is in. Below is what its table of assessment says for each zone; or check your own address.
In a low density residential zone
Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions). A shop, café or office is not listed in the low density residential zone so it falls under the 'any other use' default of impact assessment, requiring a development application open to public submissions.
I don't know my zone — choose my council instead
The zone is on your rates notice, or a Landbrief site report will find it for you.
Zone by zone
Shop / Food and drink outlet / Office. Residential zones first.
| Zone | What the table says | Conditions | What you'll need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low density residential zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.1 | shop, food and drink outlet and office are not listed uses in this zone | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| Low-medium density residential zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.2 | shop, food and drink outlet and office are not listed uses in this zone | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| Medium density residential zone | It depends — see below Table 5.4.3 | a food and drink outlet is accepted if a tenancy change with no external building work, or code assessable if part of a residential development on the ground floor and under 250m2; office and shop are not listed and default to impactIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Medium density residential zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code, The planning scheme |
| Character residential zone | It depends — see below Table 5.4.5 | office and food and drink outlet are code assessable; a shop is not listed and defaults to impactIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Character residential zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code, The planning scheme |
| Emerging community zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.21 | A shop, café or office is not listed in the emerging community zone, so it falls under the default and needs an impact-assessable development application. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| Tourist accommodation zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.6 | If a tenancy change from an existing food and drink outlet, office or shop with no external building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Tourist accommodation zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Community facilities zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.20 | A shop, café or office is not listed in the community facilities zone, so it falls under the default and needs an impact-assessable development application. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| Conservation zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.15 | shop and office are not listed in this zone (food and drink outlet only if Council-run); the default 'any other use' row applies | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| District centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.9 | If a change of use within an existing building and only minor building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: District centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Environmental management zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.14 | shop and office are not listed in this zone (food and drink outlet only if Council-run); the default 'any other use' row applies | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
| Local centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.10 | Shop: change of use in existing building with only minor building work and GFA ≤ 1,000m²; Office: change of use in existing building with only minor building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Local centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Low impact industry zone | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.16 | a food and drink outlet is code assessable; a shop or office is not listed so would be impact assessable under the default rowIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Low impact industry zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Major centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.8 | If a change of use within an existing building and only minor building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Major centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Medium impact industry zone | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.17 | a food and drink outlet is code assessable; a shop or office is not listed so would be impact assessable under the default rowIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Medium impact industry zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Mixed use zone | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.19 | Shop if combined gross floor area ≤500m²; Office is accepted subject to requirements if change of use in existing building with minor works else code; Food and drink outlet code if ≤250m²If not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Mixed use zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Neighbourhood centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.11 | Shop: change of use in existing building with only minor building work and GFA ≤ 500m²; Office: change of use in existing building with only minor building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Neighbourhood centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Principal centre zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.7 | If a change of use within an existing building and only minor building workIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Principal centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Recreation and open space zone | It depends — see below Table 5.4.13 | Food and drink outlet is accepted if undertaken by/on Council land per resolution, otherwise code assessable up to 150m² GFA; Shop and Office are not listed and are impact assessableIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Recreation and open space zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code, The planning scheme |
| Rural zone | It depends — see below Table 5.4.22 | a food and drink outlet is code assessable; a shop or office is not listed and defaults to impact assessable | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Rural zone code, The planning scheme |
| Specialised centre zone | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.12 | Office and Shop are listed as code assessment; a change of use within an existing building with only minor building work is not provided as an accepted path for these usesIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Specialised centre zone code, Healthy waters code, Infrastructure works code, Landscape code, Transport, servicing, access and parking code |
| Waterfront and marine industry zone | Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.18 | Shop and Office are not listed; Food and drink outlet is code assessable | Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme |
Overlays that change the answer
- Airport environs overlay. No change to the category, but assessable development within the airport operational airspace or aviation facility buffer must also be assessed against the Airport environs overlay code. (5.9.1 Airport environs overlay)
Worth knowing in Redland
The tables of assessment do not state numeric minimum lot sizes for reconfiguring a lot; the numeric minimums live in the Reconfiguring a lot code and individual zone codes (not reproduced here). Reconfiguring a lot is impact assessable in the Conservation, Environmental management, Character residential, Tourist accommodation and Rural zones, and in the Emerging community zone where any lot under 10ha is created; it is otherwise code assessable. Building work for a dwelling house (shed, pool, fence, extension, demolition) is generally accepted development under the planning scheme unless an overlay applies (see overlay_triggers) — but a building approval under the Building Act 1975 is still required, and dwelling-house building work in the Low density residential zone precincts LDR1–LDR5 (and dual occupancy/associated building work in LDR5) is accepted subject to requirements against the zone code. Secondary dwellings (granny flats) are treated as part of a 'dwelling house' under the QPP; a dwelling house containing a secondary dwelling still counts as one dwelling for assessment triggers in rural/emerging/environmental management/conservation zones. Where premises are in more than one zone or overlay, the highest category applies. The Transport noise corridor overlay is for information only (building work assessed under QDC Part 4.4). State Vegetation Management Act and Planning Regulation clearing exemptions operate separately from this scheme. There are no local plans in this scheme. Precinct variations (LDR1–5, MDR1–9, CF1–9) can change categories within a zone and should be checked against the relevant zone map.
What else you'll need
- Building approval
- Food licence (for a café)
More about Redland
- What can you build in Redland? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Redland City Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Redland address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Cleveland
- Development applications in Redland Bay
- Development applications in Birkdale
- Development applications in Capalaba
- Development applications in Wellington Point
- Development applications in Alexandra Hills
- Development applications in Thornlands
- Development applications in Victoria Point
Other projects in Redland
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallHome businessTownhousesClear treesDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Shop, café or office in Queensland.
Read from the Redland City Plan 2018 tables of assessment. General information, not advice. The council's planning scheme and the Planning Act 2016 decide — confirm with the council or a town planner before you build.