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Obtaining Feedlot Approvals in Queensland
Renee Wall • September 6, 2022
Cattle plays a massive part of Queensland’s agricultural industry and economy, with feedlots on the increase. Wall Planning and Environmental Consulting (WPE) have obtained approvals for a number of cattle feedlots across Central Queensland over the past year. Need feedlot approval in Queensland? Here’s what you need to know.
The Feedlot Approval Process
When submitting a feedlot development application for approval, it can be a little more time consuming than many people anticipate. Where a lot of development applications may only deal with local council, there are multiple government departments and agencies that have requirements that need to be met for a feedlot.
This is why it is recommended that that a town planner be hired to manage the process. A town planner will have the connections, the knowledge, and the experience to know exactly what needs to be addressed and how best to address it.
Our process for feedlots is:
- Initial Consultation with WPE – we get to know your project inside and out to get all those critical details we know will be required for the application. This is also a chance for questions to be asked and the process explained.
- Sub-Contractor Consultations – WPE arrange supporting material, such as plans, from sub-consultants such as engineers and environmental specialists.
- Pre-Lodgement Meeting with Council & State Government – This meeting is organised and hosted by WPE to identify site-specific requirements and triggers relating to the Development Application.
- Site Visit with the Department of Agriculture & Fisheries (DAF) – This visit establishes further site-specific requirements for the development application of the feedlot.
- Preparation and Submission of Development Application – WPE consolidate all the requirements and information about the project to construct a development application that addresses all government department legislations.
- Submission of Local Council Application and Referral to State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) – these are submissions relating to specific triggers such as impacts on the state-controlled network.
- Public Notification – this will depend on the level of assessment for your feedlot, for instance if it is an impact assessable development application. The public notification period is when the community can learn more about the development project.
- Decision Stage –
requests for information and decision notices will be issued, potentially with site-specific conditions that must be met as a part of the development approval.
The Feedlot Approval Timeline
The process requires a lot of paperwork! There are forms to fill, Council and State Government fees to be calculated, designs to be prepared, not to mention the Development Application Report that is required to set out a clear assessment against of the relevant codes and requirements.
Sound like too much? Leave it up to us and we’ll take care of it all. The timeline:
- Preparation of the application may take up to 4 – 8 weeks with WPE, depending on the level of technical information required.
- Assessment of the application by Council could take around 6 months, however it’s recommended to allow approximately 8 months. Extensions to the timeline could occur depending on whether the Council issues an Information Request.
We recommend to our clients that the whole process can take approximately 8 to 10 months.
Feedlot Approval Supporting Information
The most common supporting information required for a feedlot development application is:
- Site Plans –prepared by a specialist consultant that will help identify the best location based on the planning and environmental constraints.
- Traffic Impact Assessment Report – these are prepared by a civil engineer and assesses the impact that the feedlot could have on the transport network, identifying reasonable solutions to address these impacts.
Things To Consider For Your Feedlot
Whilst the requirements for a feedlot will depend on the regulations of the specific site, there are still some important general questions to consider:
- Do you have access to sufficient water on-site?
- What type of regulated vegetation is on or near the site?
- What are the access routes?
- Where will the trucks be travelling to and from?
Town Planners Who Know Their Feedlots
Approval for a feedlot requires a true understanding of the business, the industry, and the region. WPE’s team are Central Queensland locals and experienced in feedlot approvals. In fact, our Director, Renee Wall, lives and works on a CQ cattle property! You don’t get much more “in the know” than that.
Have a chat with Planning Approval Group’s specialist team TODAY about the services available for your feedlot project.
Subdivision, or Reconfiguring a Lot, can be a daunting task for any developer. Whether it be splitting a rural property between siblings or developing a whole new pocket of suburbia, there are vital things that you need to know to make this development journey smoother. Let’s break down subdivision development. Defining Subdivision When people think of subdivision, they tend to immediately think of new suburban developments and mass land releases. This is true, with subdivision not only being the creation of residential developments, but also commercial precincts and industrial parks. However, subdivision isn’t limited to such large-scale development. Another common application is the division of one lot into two or three – for instance a rural lot being formally split between owners. In fact, in many planning schemes you may find it hard to research subdivision, with very little reference to it. This is because the common planning term for this activity is Reconfiguring a Lot. Why not just call it subdivision? Well, the activity isn’t limited to dividing up larger lots of land into smaller ones. It can also include rearranging or merging of existing lot boundaries.
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Cattle plays a massive part of Queensland's agricultural industry and economy. With the need for cattle feedlots growing, Planning Approval Group have obtained approvals for numerous feedlot projects across Queensland. Need feedlot approval? Here is what you need to know. Feedlots and Environmental Approvals When submitting a feedlot development application for approval, it can be a little more time consuming than many people anticipate. Where a lot of development applications may only deal with local Council, approval for a cattle feedlot can involve meeting legislative requirements of multiple State Government agencies. One prime example is an Environmental Authority (EA) . Cattle Feedlots exceeding 150 standard cattle units (SCU) are considered an Environmentally Relevant Activity (ERA) under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 and so require an Environmental Authority approved by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). In addition, many farms are situated along state-controlled roads and railway corridors, others may have threatened species of flora or fauna, and some may have critical wetlands and waterways. These, and others, can require submissions of applications with the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) . This is why it is recommended that a town planner be hired to carry out the application process. WPG have the connections, knowledge, and experience to know exactly what needs to be addressed and how best to address it.
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Having a sign is part and parcel with owning a business. It’s not only a proud statement of who you are, but it’s also letting people know, “I am here! I have services and goods for you!”. So, with it being a bit of a “given”, did you know that most Councils will require a separate application for your sign? And did you know that a town planner can assist you with this? What Counts As An Advertising Device? What you call a sign may also be referred to as an Advertising Device by the local Council. Signs that generally need approval are those that advertise the business, such as awning signs, pylon signs and fence signs. Directional and general signs may not require approval, but this may depend on the Council and the specifics of the sign. How Do I Know If My Sign Requires Approval? Most Councils will incorporate this information either into their planning scheme or their general permits and building regulations. Some may even provide pages with information and links dedicated to signage and advertising device applications. Examples of this is Brisbane City Council, whose Advertising Device guide can be found HERE , and Central Highlands Regional Council, whose Advertising Device guide can be found HERE . Let’s delve into the above examples to discover what signage advertising devices require approval. Central Highlands Regional Council provides a list of sign types that require approval and also refers to the ‘advertising devices code’ – this code is a part of the Central Highlands Regional Planning Scheme and provides illustrations and descriptions of the types of advertising devices. This code also stipulates specific acceptable limitations of each type of sign.
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