Do I need approval for a shop, café or office in the low density residential zone zone in Rockhampton?

Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions). Conditions: shops and offices are not listed for this zone. (Source: Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 5, 2025-03-28), Table 5.4.1.1.)

Do I need approval for a shop, café or office in the low density residential zone — fitzroy river accommodation precinct zone in Rockhampton?

Accepted if you meet the requirements. Conditions: shop/food and drink outlet if reusing existing building ≤150 m² (shop must sell Fitzroy River boating goods); office is not listed and is impact assessable. If those aren't met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions). (Source: Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 5, 2025-03-28), Table 5.4.1.1.1.)

Do I need approval for a shop, café or office in the low density residential zone — residential stables precinct zone in Rockhampton?

Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions). Conditions: shops and offices are not listed for this precinct. (Source: Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 5, 2025-03-28), Table 5.4.1.1.2.)

Shops, cafés and offices in Rockhampton — do you need approval?

Rockhampton Regional Council's planning scheme — the Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 5, 2025-03-28) — 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 for this residential zone so it falls under the 'any other use' default and needs an impact-assessed development application.

1. Where is the property? (optional — it makes the answer specific)

I don't know my zone — choose my council instead

Council Zone

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 5.4.1.1	shops and offices are not listed for this zone	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Low density residential zone — Fitzroy River accommodation precinct	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.1.1.1	shop/food and drink outlet if reusing existing building ≤150 m² (shop must sell Fitzroy River boating goods); office is not listed and is impact assessableIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions).	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Low density residential zone code, Works code
Low density residential zone — Residential stables precinct	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.1.1.2	shops and offices are not listed for this precinct	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Low-medium density residential zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.1.2	office if reusing existing building, no more than minor building work, and GFA ≤200 m²; shops not listed and impact assessableIf not met: a development application with impact assessment (neighbours can make submissions).	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Low-medium density residential zone code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
High density residential zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.1.3	if gross floor area ≤ 250 m² and located on the ground floor (shop/food and drink outlet); office 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: High density residential zone code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Rural residential zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.6.5	A shop, café or office is not listed in this zone, so it falls under 'any other use' and needs an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Township zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.6.7	if reuse of existing building with no more than minor building work and gross floor area ≤ 200 m²If not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Township zone code, Works code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Emerging community zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.6.2	A shop, café or office is not listed for the Emerging community zone, so it defaults to an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Community facilities zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.6.1	for a food and drink outlet if gross floor area ≤250 m²; a general shop or office 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: Community facilities zone code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code, The planning scheme
District centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.2.3	shop/food and drink outlet/office accepted subject to requirements when reusing existing buildings with only minor work, otherwise code assessment (subject to floor area caps, e.g. shop ≤3,000 m², office ≤250 m²)If not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: District centre zone code, Works code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Environmental management and conservation zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.4.1	A shop, café or office is not listed in this zone, so it falls under 'any other use' and needs an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
High impact industry zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.5.3	Food and drink outlet accepted subject to requirements if GFA ≤ 150 m²; shop/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: High impact industry zone code, Works code
Limited development (constrained land) zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.6.3	A shop, café or office is not listed in this zone, so it falls under 'any other use' and needs an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Local centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.2.4	Shop/Food and drink outlet/Office — if the reuse of existing building(s) and not more than minor building work (and no drive-through for food and drink; office ≤250 m²)If not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Local centre zone code, Works code
Low impact industry zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.5.1	Food and drink outlet accepted subject to requirements if GFA ≤ 150 m²; shop/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: Low impact industry zone code, Works code
Major centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.2.2	shop/food and drink outlet/office accepted subject to requirements when reusing existing buildings with only minor work (office also capped at ≤250 m²), otherwise code assessmentIf not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Major centre zone code, Works code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Medium impact industry zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.5.2	Food and drink outlet accepted subject to requirements if GFA ≤ 150 m²; shop/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: Medium impact industry zone code, Works code
Neighbourhood centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.2.5	Shop/Food and drink outlet/Office — if the reuse of existing building(s) and not more than minor building work (no drive-through; office ≤200 m²)If not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Neighbourhood centre zone code, Works code
Open space zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.3.2	Food and drink outlet if gross floor area ≤ 150 m²; otherwise 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: Open space zone code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Principal centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Tables 5.4.2.1.1–5.4.2.1.4	shop/food and drink outlet/office accepted subject to requirements when reusing existing buildings with only minor work (office subject to a floor area cap, e.g. ≤500 m²), otherwise code assessmentIf not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Principal centre zone code, Works code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code
Rural zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.6.4	A shop, café or office is not listed in this zone, so it falls under 'any other use' and needs an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Special industry zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.5.4	A shop, café or office is not listed for the Special industry zone, so it defaults to an impact-assessable development application.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Special purpose zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.6.6	Shops, cafés and offices are not listed in the base Special purpose zone table, so the default 'any other use' row applies and an impact-assessable development application is required.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme
Specialised centre zone	Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.4.2.6.1/5.4.2.6.2/5.4.2.6.3	Shop/Food and drink outlet/Office — if reusing existing building, within the relevant sub-precinct and within floor area limits (Office ≤200 m²)If not met: a development application with code assessment.	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: Specialised centre zone code, Works code
Sport and recreation zone	Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.4.3.1	Food and drink outlet (and Shop in the major sports precinct) — if gross floor area ≤250 m²; Office 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: Sport and recreation zone code, Access, parking and transport code, Landscape code, Stormwater management code, Waste management code, Water and sewer code, The planning scheme
Waterfront and marine industry zone	Needs a development application (impact assessment — neighbours can make submissions) Table 5.4.5.5	a shop/food and drink outlet may be accepted subject to requirements only in the Fitzroy River industry precinct where reusing existing buildings and ≤150 m² selling boating goods	Building approval; Food licence (for a café)Assessed against: The planning scheme, Waterfront and marine industry zone code

Overlays that change the answer

The table above is the base case, before any overlay. Flood, bushfire, landslide, heritage and character overlays are the usual reasons a normally-accepted project becomes a development application — add your address above and the tool flags the ones that apply to your lot.

Worth knowing in Rockhampton

IMPORTANT: The scheme's building work table (section 5.6) is 'Not applicable' — the scheme does NOT itself make domestic building work (sheds, carports, pools, fences, extensions, demolition) assessable in the base case. Those projects are generally 'accepted' under the planning scheme (no planning development application), but a building approval under the Building Act 1975 is almost always still required and must be obtained separately. Overlays (especially Flood, Character, Heritage) can change this — see overlay_triggers. Granny flats: the QPP 'Dwelling house' definition includes a secondary dwelling, so a granny flat follows the Dwelling house row of each zone; in residential/township/rural/rural residential/emerging community zones a dwelling house is 'accepted' (or 'accepted subject to requirements' in Emerging community and Rural), but in centre, industry, open space, sport & recreation, community facilities, special purpose, limited development and environmental zones a dwelling house is not listed and falls to the 'any other use' row = impact assessable. Minimum lot sizes for subdivision are set in Table 9.3.5.3.2 of the Reconfiguring a lot code, which was not reproduced in the material provided — specific numeric minimums per zone could not be extracted, so min_lot_size_m2 is null for all zones. Known thresholds: Emerging community = 10 hectares for code assessment; Rural = the minimum nominated in the Reconfiguring a lot code. Many zones have precincts and sub-precincts; the scheme states that for a precinct/sub-precinct the relevant (parent) zone categories apply for reconfiguring and operational work, but material-change-of-use tables can differ by precinct (e.g. Low density residential Fitzroy River accommodation precinct allows some small-scale commercial uses). Tree clearing: the scheme only regulates vegetation clearing as operational work via overlays (Biodiversity, etc.); the general operational work table (5.7.1) mainly covers filling/excavation and access/services works — most vegetation clearing is accepted under the scheme but the State Vegetation Management Act 1999 rules are separate and may still apply. Home-based business is 'accepted subject to requirements' in residential, township, rural, rural residential, industry and emerging community zones (meet the relevant zone code) and 'accepted' in centre zones.

What else you'll need

Building approval
Food licence (for a café)

More about Rockhampton

Other projects in Rockhampton

Granny flat Dual occupancy Subdivide Shed or carport Extension Pool Fence or wall Home business Townhouses Clear trees Demolish

The statewide position on this project: Shop, café or office in Queensland.

Read from the Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme 2015 (Version 5, 2025-03-28) 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.