Clearing trees in Toowoomba — do you need approval?
Toowoomba Regional Council's planning scheme — the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012 (Version 29) — decides whether tree clearing 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
Accepted if you meet the requirements. The local scheme treats clearing vegetation as 'any other operational work', so no development application is needed unless it is tied to a subdivision or change of use (state Vegetation Management Act rules still apply separately).
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
Operational work (vegetation clearing). Residential zones first.
| Zone | What the table says | Conditions | What you'll need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Density Residential Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Low-medium Density Residential Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Rural Residential Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Township Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Emerging Community Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Community Facilities Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| District Centre Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Extractive Industry Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| High Impact Industry Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Limited Development (Constrained Land) Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Local Centre Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Low Impact Industry Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Major Centre Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Medium Impact Industry Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Mixed Use Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Open Space Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Principal Centre Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Rural Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Specialised Centre Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
| Sport and Recreation Zone | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.8:1 | not associated with reconfiguring a lot or a material change of use, and not clearing in a road reserve for the change of use of an adjoining siteIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | State vegetation check (not the council)Assessed against: Works and Services Code, State Planning Policy (July 2017) Appendix 2 |
Overlays that change the answer
- Bushfire Hazard Overlay. Accepted development not otherwise listed becomes accepted subject to requirements — it must meet the Bushfire Hazard Overlay Code's acceptable outcomes or becomes code assessable. (Table 5.10:1)
Worth knowing in Toowoomba
Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012 (Version 29), 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 unless the tables say otherwise; building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise (section 5.3.2). Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the listed acceptable outcomes becomes (limited) code assessable (section 5.3.3). Where land is in more than one zone, local plan or overlay the highest category applies, but a local plan overrides the zone and an overlay overrides both (section 5.3.2). Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017 overrides the scheme (e.g. a dwelling house, community residence or home-based business can be accepted regardless). Building work: the accepted-subject-to-requirements part of Table 5.7:1 was replaced by Temporary Local Planning Instrument 01/2026 (Table of Assessment for Building Work) from 16 February 2026, which isn't reproduced in the source — the shed, extension, pool and fence answers follow the pre-TLPI 'All other building work → applicable zone code' row and should be checked against the TLPI. Excavating or filling that changes ground level by more than 1m (other than for a pool outside the Landslide Hazard Overlay) is code assessable. A building approval under the Building Act is still needed in all cases. Granny flats follow the Dwelling House row (a dwelling house includes a secondary dwelling); dwelling houses in the Low Density and Low-medium Density Residential zones are accepted on lots of 450m² or more that aren't hatchet lots or in a Schedule 7 plan of development, otherwise accepted subject to the Small Lot Housing Design Code or Medium Density Residential Code. Precincts change answers in many zones: Low Density Residential (Clifford Park Stables, Park Residential — larger minimum lots); Low-medium Density Residential (Hospital Support, Urban Consolidation, Regional/Urban/Office Residential — shop, café and office rules); Specialised Centre (Defence Facilities — houses, dual occupancy and units; Specialist Retail Centre; Toowoomba Airport; Queensland Government Research Facility); Community Facilities (Education, Higher Education, Hospital, Government, Other Community Purposes); Mixed Use (West Creek and City South Bulky Goods/Service Industry — some centre uses excluded); Township (Flood Management Precinct makes a house or dual occupancy code assessable); Rural Residential and Rural (minimum lot size by precinct); Industry zones (Wellcamp, General Industry, Transport and Warehousing, Intermodal, Heavy Industry, Quarry). Local plans (section 5.9): Highfields, Meringandan and Meringandan West (Major Centre Medium Density Residential Precinct — dwelling house and dual occupancy impact; Town Centre Frame — department store/supermarket impact), Glenvale (no category changes) and Charlton Wellcamp Enterprise Area (many centre uses in industry precincts become impact; Local Centre Commercial Centre Precinct — shop/office code to 250m², multiple dwelling impact). Overlays with no category change (benchmark only): Agricultural Land, Environmental Significance, Scenic Amenity (MCU), Regional Infrastructure Corridors and Substations (MCU), Water Resource Catchments. This file was structured by hand from a Markdown conversion of the council's Part 5 PDF, not an official copy.
What else you'll need
- State vegetation check (not the council)
More about Toowoomba
- What can you build in Toowoomba? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Toowoomba Regional Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Toowoomba address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Newtown
- Development applications in Wellcamp
- Development applications in Glenvale
- Development applications in Highfields
- Development applications in Torrington
- Development applications in Crows Nest
- Development applications in Rangeville
- Development applications in East Toowoomba
Other projects in Toowoomba
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolFence or wallHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Clear trees in Queensland.
Read from the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme 2012 (Version 29) 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.