Infrastructure Charges

Infrastructure charges are charges levied by Council on development that increases the demand on Council’s trunk infrastructure including water, sewer, stormwater, transport and parks networks.  

Infrastructure charges levied for development within the Western Downs Region, make a contribution towards the capital works for the expansion, maintenance or replacement of infrastructure based on the increased demand of development on Council’s trunk infrastructure networks.

Infrastructure charges are levied by attaching an Infrastructure Charges Notice to a Development Approval for a Material Change of Use or Reconfiguring a Lot that is Assessable Development under the current Planning Scheme.

Increases in the existing infrastructure charges applying to a development approval may also be triggered through a further Minor Change or Other Change Approval to an existing approval if it results in an increased demand on the relevant infrastructure networks.  

Infrastructure charges are detailed within an Infrastructure Charges Notice which attaches to development approvals and are calculated in accordance with Council's Infrastructure Charges Resolution in effect at the time the application is lodged with Council.

After receiving a development approval, the landowner is required to pay the infrastructure charges detailed within the Infrastructure Charges Notice which is attached to the Decision Notice issued by Council. Infrastructure Charges are required be paid as follows:

• when the change of land use occurs on the property for a Material Change of Use approval; and/or
• when a Plan of Survey (Form 18B) is submitted to Council for endorsement, for a Reconfiguring a Lot (subdivision) approval.

Infrastructure charges are attached to the land and are payable by the owner of the land, not the applicant for the approval (i.e. unless they are also the owner of the land).  If ownership of a parcel of land changes and the approved use has commenced or Plan of Survey (Form 18B) is submitted, outstanding infrastructure charges will be payable from the new landowner of the property.

Council's Compliance Team regularly audits active development approvals throughout the Western Downs Region to ensure that outstanding conditions are complied with, and outstanding infrastructure charges are paid. 

Infrastructure charges are currently levied in accordance with Council's Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 7.1) 2017 which provides the framework of how infrastructure charges for development are calculated by Council.  This Resolution applies to all development applications received on and after the 21 December 2017.  

The Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 7.1) 2017 refers to and is to be read in conjunction with Council’s Local Government Infrastructure Plan which forms part of the Western Downs Planning Scheme 2017 incorporating Amendment 1.

Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 7.1) 2017 can be accessed here for more information(PDF, 3MB)

Council’s previous Infrastructure Charges Resolutions can be accessed via the links in the table below.

Note: The Infrastructure Charges Resolutions listed in the table below are no longer in effect and have been superseded by the                commencement of Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 7.1) 2017.

List of previous now superseded Infrastructure Charges Resolutions

Council maintains an Infrastructure Chargers Register in accordance with the Planning Regulation 2017 which provides a record of the infrastructure charges levied on development by Council.

The Infrastructure Charges Register is searchable, and the results of your search can be downloaded via the link below:

Infrastructure Charges Register as at May 2024(XLSX, 138KB)

Note: The infrastructure charges register is generally updated on Council's website on a monthly basis. Please contact our Planning Administration Team via phone 4679 4000 or via email; plan.admin@wdrc.qld.gov.au for the latest version of the Infrastructure Charges Register.