Planning exemption for Rooming Accommodation Extended

12-Month Extension and changes made to the Schedule 6 Rooming Accommodation Exemption

Queensland builders and developers undertaking rooming accommodation projects should be aware of a significant update to the Planning Regulation 2017. The Schedule 6 exemption for rooming accommodation, which removes the need for certain development approvals, has been extended for an additional 12 months. The extension comes with some changes around mandatory landscaping for the streetscape interaction within the property.

This extension allows current rooming accommodation projects already in the approval pipeline and currently being designed to continue under the exemption, avoiding the need for new development applications.

It is important to note that all projects not yet approved will require reassessment against the new landscaping provisions and must demonstrate compliance..

The Planning Regulation states that the development must provide landscaping between the building and the front boundary of the premises, excluding the following:

• Any driveway
• Any pedestrian access
• Any paving

In practical terms, this means:

• A landscaped strip must be provided in the area directly between the building façade and the front boundary line.
• Driveways and footpaths may interrupt the space, but landscaping must be provided in all remaining areas of that front setback, cannot just a be a full concrete area.

It is important to be aware that if a proposed rooming accommodation development does not meet the prescribed requirements which are included in the Planning Regulation, then it may still require planning approval for rooming accommodation uses.

For more information, click here.