Buildings seaward of a coastal building line
General information
The 'coastal building line' is a tool used to regulate building work in areas prone to erosion in a coastal management district. Coastal building lines are declared under the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995 (Coastal Act) and are fixed by regulation or notice. The coastal building line assists in maintaining a development-free buffer zone where coastal processes can occur naturally without the need for property protection works that can be costly and detrimental to sound coastal management goals.
Development, including building work only assessable against the Building Act 1975, is assessable development under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009. The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is a concurrence agency for such development and proposals are assessed against the Queensland Coastal Plan (State Planning Policy 3/11: Coastal Protection).
Information about this issue is below for quick referencing. You can also read the relevant legislation online by visiting the Office of Parliamentary Counsel website.
Refer to the list of coastal building lines for a copy of coastal building line plans.
Guidelines and policies
Before lodging an application for a development approval for building works seaward of a coastal building line, please read the guidelines and related government policies on this issue.
Guideline: Assessable development under the Coastal Act
Guideline: Building work seaward of a coastal building line
Pre-design conference service
The department offers a pre-design or pre-lodgement meeting service for projects that may include issues requiring a high level of assessment. This service includes meeting with a departmental project manager to discuss all the information requirements to be provided with an application.
For more details, read the pre-design conference fact sheet.
This service can be initiated by contacting Permit and Licence Management or by emailing <palm@derm.qld.gov.au> or completing a Pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting application form (Word, 285K)‡. If a pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting is required to discuss your application in more detail, a departmental officer will contact you directly.
Permits and approvals
The approval(s) required will depend on the nature and scope of your project. The development assessment process under the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995 (Coastal Act) is aligned with the Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA).
To find out how to apply for a licence or permit to carry out the proposed activity lawfully you will need to download and read the guidelines and key reference materials.
Applications for development
Information to assist in making a development application is available through guidelines and reference materials available on the department’s website.
Forms and fees
Download a development application form (part 1, 2 and 3);
Contact Permit and Licence Management or email <palm@derm.qld.gov.au> for assistance.
For an overview, download the information sheet on Fees and royalties payable under the Coastal Act (PDF, 96K)* and Paying fees to the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) by EFT (PDF, 131K)*.
* Requires Adobe Reader
‡ Requires Microsoft Office files viewer
Last updated 3 February 2012