Brisbane plan compliance check
Upload your proposal plans and we'll read the measurements straight off them and check the proposal against the Brisbane City Plan 2014 Acceptable Outcomes — the building height, site cover, setbacks, lot sizes, dwelling count and the other numeric rules that decide whether your project is accepted development or needs a development application.
Covers dwelling houses (incl. small lot), dual occupancy, multiple dwellings, subdivision (reconfiguring a lot), centre / mixed use, childcare centres, service stations, industry and community facilities. Add the address and we'll pull the zone and overlays automatically.
How it works
In Queensland, development is accepted development (no approval needed) when it meets every Acceptable Outcome of the applicable Brisbane City Plan code; if any Acceptable Outcome isn't met, it becomes assessable development and a development application is required — only the outcomes not met have to be justified against the performance outcomes.
This tool measures the numeric Acceptable Outcomes directly from your plans — building height and storeys, site cover, lot size and frontage, dwelling count, setbacks and parking — and tells you, code by code, which are met and which need attention. Setbacks and site cover that carry contextual exceptions are flagged “confirm” rather than failed, so you don't get false negatives.
- Attach your plans — the architectural or survey set (text-based or scanned).
- Pick the development type — or let it auto-detect from the use.
- Add the address (optional) — to pull the zone and overlays from the City Plan layers.
For a property outside the City of Brisbane, the numbers are shown as indicative only — the relevant council's planning scheme governs. For a full written assessment, see our application-grade planning report.
Common Brisbane planning questions
- Can I build a granny flat in Brisbane? — secondary-dwelling rules (80 m², within 20 m) and when it needs a DA.
- Can I subdivide my land in Brisbane? — minimum lot sizes by zone and the reconfiguring-a-lot pathway.
- Can I build a duplex (dual occupancy) in Brisbane? — the minimum site area your zone needs for two dwellings.
- Can I build townhouses or units in Brisbane? — which zones allow multiple dwellings, and the site/height rules.
- Do I need approval to extend my house in Brisbane? — when it's accepted development vs the character-overlay DA.
- Do I need a material change of use approval? — when a new use triggers a development application.
- Can I build a childcare centre in Brisbane? — which zones suit it, plus the deep-planting and acoustic rules.
- Can I open a café, shop or office in Brisbane? — whether your premises' zone allows the use before you sign a lease.
- Can I open a small bar or restaurant in Brisbane? — food-and-drink rules, amenity and the licence stack.
- Can I build a service station in Brisbane? — the location, major-road and separation rules.
This automated check is a general guide based on the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It supports, but does not replace, a planner's or building certifier's assessment. A neighbourhood plan or overlay can vary the standards — confirm any control with Brisbane City Council before relying on it for a design decision, contract or development application.
Town Planning Online accepts no liability for omissions, errors or out-of-date information in source datasets.