Subdividing land in Noosa — do you need approval?

Zone by zone

Reconfiguring a lot. Residential zones first.

Overlays that change the answer

• Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay. Any development in Area 1 involving excavation of 100 m³ or more or filling of 500 m³ or more, or in Area 2 involving excavation of 100 m³ or more at or below 5 m AHD, becomes code assessable against the Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.1 Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay)
• Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay. Reconfiguring a lot on land mapped as biodiversity significance or riparian buffer area is assessed against the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.2 Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay)
• Bushfire Hazard Overlay. Reconfiguring a lot is also assessed against the Bushfire Hazard Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.3 Bushfire Hazard Overlay)
• Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay. Within a coastal protection area, reconfiguring a lot and operational work are code assessable against the Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.4 Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay)
• Extractive Resources Overlay. Within the overlay, a change of use other than a dwelling house on an existing lot, home-based business (not bed and breakfast or classes), animal husbandry or cropping becomes code assessable, and reconfiguring a lot is assessed against the Extractive Resources Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.5 Extractive Resources Overlay)
• Flood Hazard Overlay. On flood hazard land, a change of use or building work other than a dwelling house, home-based business, demolition, limited rooming/short-term accommodation or work inside an existing building becomes code assessable against the Flood Hazard Overlay Code; reconfiguring a lot is also assessed against it. (Table 5.9.6 Flood Hazard Overlay)
• Heritage Overlay. Demolition, relocation or removal of a building, and reconfiguring a lot, are code assessable against the Heritage Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.7 Heritage Overlay)
• Landslide Hazard Overlay. In a moderate, high or very high landslide hazard area, development other than a dwelling house, community residence, home-based business, Class 10 structure, demolition or work inside an existing building becomes code assessable; earthworks over 50 m³ or vegetation clearing are code assessable against the Landslide Hazard Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.8 Landslide Hazard Overlay)
• Regional Infrastructure Overlay. In a water resource catchment and water supply buffer area, a change of use (other than a dwelling house or community residence) that adds an on-site wastewater system or more people living, staying or working on site becomes code assessable; near a gas pipeline or major electricity infrastructure most changes of use other than a dwelling house are code assessable; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable against the Regional Infrastructure Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.9 Regional Infrastructure Overlay)

Worth knowing in Noosa

Noosa Plan 2020 (Amendment 3, effective 20 March 2026), Part 5. 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 in every zone (Table 5.6.1); building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise. Noosa makes demolition or removal of any building code assessable in all zones (Table 5.7.1), unusually. Building work for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure (shed, carport, pool, fence) is accepted subject to requirements in the Low, Medium and High Density Residential, Tourist Accommodation, Rural Residential and Rural zones; in all other zones building work is accepted only inside an existing building with no new buildings or expansion, otherwise code assessable. A building approval under the Building Act is still needed in all cases. Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the listed acceptable outcomes becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3). A dwelling house includes a secondary dwelling (granny flat); in the Medium and High Density Residential zones a dwelling house is only listed for lots under 500 m², so on bigger lots the 'any other use' impact row applies. Schedule 6, Part 2 of the Planning Regulation 2017 can make a dwelling house, community residence, home-based business or rooming accommodation accepted regardless of these tables. Precincts: the Major Centre (Noosa Junction Hospitality; Noosa Business Centre Showroom, Business Park, Retail, Village Mixed Use), District Centre (Mary/Thomas Street Health and Wellbeing, Doonella Street, Noosaville Mainstreet), Low Impact Industry (Lionel Donovan Drive Auto, Hofmann Drive, Factory Street, Kin Kin, Gateway West Makers) and Medium Impact Industry (Venture Drive Enterprise) zones have precinct tables that vary some uses; the 'Where not located in a Precinct' tables are empty on the ePlan, so the parent zone table applies outside precincts. The Major Centre page labels its own table 'Table 5.5.1' (a typo) — it is Table 5.5.5. Many rows are tied to named lots or streets (e.g. 99 Noosa Drive, Gympie Terrace, Hastings Street) — check the conditions. Where premises are in more than one zone or overlay, the highest category applies to the part affected. Operational work for a dwelling driveway is accepted subject to the Low Density Housing Code; excavation or filling over 10 m³ (residential and environmental zones) or 100 m³ (other zones) is code assessable. Vegetation clearing benchmarks sit in the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay Code; state Vegetation Management Act rules apply separately.

What else you'll need

• Survey plan
• Infrastructure charges
• Operational works

More about Noosa

• What can you build in Noosa? Council overview and development applications
• Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
• What Noosa Shire Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
• A Landbrief site report for your Noosa address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
• Development applications in Noosaville
• Development applications in Noosa Heads
• Development applications in Cooroy
• Development applications in Peregian Beach
• Development applications in Sunshine Beach
• Development applications in Exempt Clearing

Other projects in Noosa

Granny flatDual occupancyShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeClear treesDemolish

The statewide position on this project: Subdivide in Queensland.