Sunshine Coast Council Clarifies Application of Updated Infrastructure Charges - 7 February 2012 

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council recently updated their Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution, which replaces the previous resolution adopted July 2011.

Council reconfirmed that the adopted rates for residential development are less than the maximums set by the State Planning Regulatory Provisions (SPRP). The rates adopted for non-residential development are as per the maximum rates in the SPRP.

In addition to specifying charge rates, the resolution also deals with other matters relevant to the infrastructure charges such as:

  • Credits for existing lawful development or for previous contribution payments
  • Offsets for trunk infrastructure, that is land or works, that is provided by development
  • Areas that are excluded from the resolution that will be subject to separate infrastructure charging arrangements.

Adopting the amended changes Council also took the opportunity to approve a policy position on how infrastructure contributions affect the assessment of extensions to currency period requests. Council has established that:

  • where the difference between the previously issued contributions, and the new total Adopted Charge is equal to or less than $50,000 to that previously issued, then Council will approve the extension; or
  • where the difference between the previously issued total contributions, and the new total Adopted Charge is greater than $50,000 to that previously issued, applicants will be required to enter into an Infrastructure Agreement prior to the approval of the extension.

In addition, Council has put in place a process allowing developers to benefit from the savings promoted by the new Adopted Infrastructure Charging Regime by way of an Infrastructure Agreement. This will allow developers who obtained approvals prior to 1 July 2011, under the previous Development Contributions Policies, to reduce their contributions obligation in line with the new Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution. This has the potential to substantially decrease contributions charges on developments.

To determine whether your projects feasibility can benefit from these changes, please contact Glen Wright (Director) on 07 5443 2844.