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Whether you are looking to lodge a development application or just undertaking initial research, this page includes links to handy tools and external services.

Development applications

Planning and property information

Market data and research

Statistics and maps

Connecting utilities

Data connection

Development applications

Sunshine Coast Council provides extensive information relating to all aspects of development in the region.  You can access the Council’s full Development Advice Services webpage by clicking the link or button below.

We’ve provided these handy quick links below to some of the most relevant development resources.

Council offers a range of free and paid development advice services.

You can get advice for:

    • general enquiries
    • specific enquiries which need written advice
    • pre-lodgement services, and
    • post approval services.

Upfront advice can save you time. By seeking advice in the early stages of a proposal, you can ensure you address all identified development issues.

Initial advice enquiries are free of charge. They are great if you have a simple enquiry or if you are new to the development assessment process. They provide pre-purchase and general advice.

For general enquiries, the best place to start is to call or email us.

For more detailed information, check our user guide (DOCX, 1.4MB).

We recommend you contact development services to confirm which service best fits your proposal.

Visit the development advice services page on the Sunshine Coast Council website for more information.

State Government Development Assessment (DA) Rules explain how development applications in Queensland must be lodged, assessed and decided. The DA Rules also outline how to undertake public notification. Generally, then each local government carries out development assessment through their own local planning scheme. 

Visit the development assessment rules page on the Sunshine Coast Council website

You may need a planning approval for certain development types under the provisions of the planning schemes currently administered by council.  This section covers elements within the development application process from initial forms and checklists all the way through to application appeals.

Visit the development application process page on the Sunshine Coast Council website

Council has a number of application forms that development applicants must complete depending on the circumstances, including a ‘well made application checklist’!

A well-made development application will ensure the most efficient processing of your application. It provides the necessary detailed information for council to assess your proposal. This includes completed forms, plans, checklists, technical reports and supporting information.

Lodging this information upfront with your application can:

    • reduce the number of information requests needed
    • streamline council's assessment of your proposal, and
    • often lead to quicker decision timeframes.

Visit the development application forms page on the Sunshine Coast Council website

Visit website

Development applications fee estimate calculator

You can produce a fee estimate for your development applications.

Access now

Chat with a development information officer

Council’s development information officers (DIO) look after general development, building and plumbing enquiries. You can book an appointment to chat about your matter at city hall.

Book now

Planning and property information

Development.i

All development applications for the Sunshine Coast Council area can be accessed through Development.i which provides easy access to past and current applications details and basic property information. In addition, the system allows you to navigate, visualise, track and receive alerts about development applications. 

A free Development.i site report provides access to town planning and property information to assist in analysing investment options and making development decisions.

View the Development.i site report

There are several training videos on council’s website to help you navigate and make the most of the Development.i tool.

View the Development.i how-to videos

Development.i allows you to:

    • Generate a site report with development related information applying to a site.
    • Visualise results on a map and get a region wide, localised or site specific view of information you’re interested in.
    • Set up alerts for development applications in the area near a specific property.
    • Save searches, properties and applications and set preferences to be automatically notified of new applications in an area or on and around a property or changes to specific applications of interest.
Visit Website

Market data and research

Find out more about current development activity, growth areas, the region’s local gross domestic product (GDP) and much more. 

Economy.id

Comprehensive economic profiling of local government areas, drawing on 11 different datasets to build a cohesive story of the area’s local economy, how it is changing and how it compares to other areas.

Visit website

Development Indicators Report

Find out more about the amount and the types of development on the Sunshine Coast, including; the value of building construction, growth suburbs, statistics for key stages of development and comparisons from previous years.

Access report

SQM Research – Property

Comprehensive property data, automated property valuations and insights on the Australian residential property market for institutions, corporates and individuals.

Visit website

Statistics and maps

MyMaps is the Sunshine Coast Council’s regional mapping system and provides the community with quick and easy access to relevant and useful Council information in the form of interactive maps. MyMaps is user friendly and highly interactive, offering up to date information with many useful features.

    • Property Boundaries
    • Council Parks and Reserves
    • Planning Scheme and Development Information
    • Local Laws
    • Flooding Hazards
    • Services
    • Points of Interest
    • Marine Turtle and Flying Fox monitoring
    • Council Contracts and Projects

Access Sunshine Coast Council's MyMaps

Australia’s national statistical agency and an official source of independent, reliable information.

Visit abs.gov.au

Provides the number of dwelling units and value of buildings approved.
Report: 8731.0 Building Approvals, Australia: TABLE 62. Number of Non-residential Building Jobs Approved, by Value Range, Original – Queensland.

View the latest Building Approvals on the ABS website

Sunshine Coast's new developments are some of the most exciting in Australia at this time. Discover new infrastructure and regional investment projects with our Major Projects Map.

The Queensland Globe provides an online interactive experience to view Queensland’s location based information.

Queensland Government Statistician's Office (QGSO) is part of Queensland Treasury. They provide a broad range of expert services to support national, whole-of-government and agency policies, programs, and service delivery decisions.

Visit qgso.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Regional Profiles are informative statistical reports on a range of Queensland community types (e.g. local government areas). These reports are generated automatically using the latest demographic, social and economic data available. Community regions can be selected individually, or easily combined to create customised regions or catchments for profiling.

View the Queensland Regional Profiles

The Sunshine Coast Council’s website also includes information on development activity, economic profiling, population and demographic reports. 

Find out more

Connecting utilities

Connecting your land or property to water and sewage, power and data is a critical and exciting stage of development. Here’s a quick guide to help you navigate through the approvals process for each service.

Water and waste connection

Unitywater provide water supply and sewage treatment services to the Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions of South East Queensland. Browse through our shortlist of resources available for businesses relocating or establishing on the Sunshine Coast.

To find out all you need to know about a connection application, head to the Unitywater building and developing page for further information.

If your business requires a new major business connection or an alteration to your existing connection (load ≥ 1 MVA and HV Generators), Energex has a dedicated Major Customer Team to support you. Information on the processes can also be found on the Major Business Connections page.

A Decision Notice will be issued after 10 business days from receipt of a certification package from a Registered Certifier. Please note - only applications prepared by a Registered Certifier will be accepted. You can find the Register of Certifiers and types of Certifiers at Unitywater's website.

The A&C Connection Application & Network Work Submission form must be completed for connections other than Standard Connection Applications made to Unitywater. Note the form will expire after 21 days of being activated.

A Service Advice Notice does not attract a fee and is advisory only. The SAN is intended to provide advice in relation to development proposals prior to lodging a formal connection application with Unitywater via a Certifier. 

A comprehensive reference library for all technical requirements and standards your Consultants will need when building and developing. 

Visit website

Energy connection

Energex is the Distribution Network Service Provider for the Sunshine Coast. Browse through our shortlist of resources available for businesses relocating or establishing on the Sunshine Coast.

Find out how to connect your business to the electricity network, what to do to connect a solar PV system or batteries, and what's required to change or remove your connection by visiting Energex’s Business Connections webpage.

Further information on gaining approvals to connect your development to the water and sewage network can be found on Unitywater's website. 

The Queensland Electricity Connection Manual (QECM) and Queensland Electricity Metering Manual (QEMM) provide minimum requirements for connection of supply and metering of customer electricity installations. Visit the Energex QECM and QEMM web page for more details.

Visit website

Future fast data

Data connection

Image: Exterior of NEXTDC Data Centre

Maroochydore City Centre: council digital infrastructure

The Sunshine Coast International Broadband Network is feeding data hungry businesses. The 18 Tbps submarine data cable provides the fastest east coast connection from Australia to Asia. 

Sunshine Coast Council has created a fact sheet that provides design specifications for existing and future developers to connect carriers and private networks to their development lot and buildings via the council’s broadband infrastructure network.

Get the fact sheet

Want to know more?

Speak to Wendy