Infrastructure Charges

Infrastructure charges are levied against some forms of development within the Local Government area. The current Resolution (No.5) commenced for development applications made on and from 1 January 2023.

In addition Council also has developed a Development Incentive Policy for Reconfiguring a Lot.

Development Incentive Policy - Reconfiguring a Lot 

Options regarding the deferment of the payment of Infrastructure Charges and General Incentive Programs are a decision of each Local Government. In this regard, Council updated its incentives policy on 18 November 2020 to allow for incentives for Reconfiguring of Lot approvals creating two to four lots. For the creation of two to four lots the deferral period under the policy has been amended to allow one year for payment or until the lot is sold. The two year deferral period still applies for five or more lots.

This policy previously was only applicable for fifteen lots or more. Please contact our team on 1300 790 919 or via enquiries@livingstone.qld.gov.au or to view the details of this policy.

Discount for Short-term stay accommodation activities
(where involving tent or caravan sites)

Council, as the meeting of 15 March 2022, resolved to adopt a thirty (30) per cent discount to infrastructure charges for Short-term stay accommodation activities (where involving tent or caravan sites).

The discount will apply as an interim measure to support tourism development and until the Local Government Infrastructure Plan and the Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution are reviewed.

Adopted Infrastructure Charges Explained

Council levies infrastructure charges as part of the development assessment process. These charges apply when reconfiguring a lot, material change of use or building works occurs that generates additional demand on trunk infrastructure networks.

Charges collected or assets constructed contribute to the provision of essential trunk infrastructure to service development. Trunk infrastructure is significant infrastructure that supports large areas or catchments and is classified into five networks managed by Council:

1. water supply network,
2. sewerage network,
3. transport network,
4. stormwater network, and
5. public parks and land for community facilities.

Charges are calculated and levied under the Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution. Council has had five Charges Resolutions that apply to development applications:

Latest News

On 5 November 2019, Council considered and adopted a new Infrastructure Charges Resolution (AICR) (No.4) Livingstone 2019.  The new charges for development commenced on 11 November 2019.

The principle changes proposed include: 

• Removing all Desired Standards of Service. These are now included in the Local Government Infrastructure Plan within the Livingstone Planning Scheme 2018
• Removing all Schedule of Works. These are now included in the Local Government Infrastructure Plan within the Livingstone Planning Scheme 2018;
• Removing all Plans for Future Trunk Infrastructure. These are now included in the Local Government Infrastructure Plan within the Livingstone Planning Scheme 2018;
• Retaining the Priority Infrastructure Area map links that show charge areas 1, 2 and 3. It is noted that the Local Government Infrastructure Plan mapping of the Priority Infrastructure Area does not show the charge areas;
• Updating the relevant references to acknowledge Part 4 of the Planning Scheme – which is the Local Government Infrastructure Plan;
• Reducing all unnecessary references to the Priority Infrastructure Area;
• Changing references to legislation from the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to the Planning Act 2016;
• Ensuring that calculations within the document reflect the correct calculation of apportionments. There are no changes to apportionments;
• Amendments to charges levied in relation to short term accommodation (Farm Stay) and Home Based Business (Bed and Breakfast);
• Amendments to charges levied in relation to aligning the previous charge for annexed apartments. The new reference to secondary dwellings under the Queensland Planning Provisions defined terms is resulting in secondary dwellings that are similar in size to a stand-alone house and are not small in scale. Where secondary dwellings exceed the 80m² excessively and are clearly a separate house and are not commensurate with a granny flat or annexed apartment, these will attract an infrastructure charge to reflect the similarity to a dual occupancy. The new charge is however less than the previous charge for an annexed apartment; and
• Refining examples and references to offsets, conversions, refunds and credits.

The following key features of the Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution remain unchanged:

• The Priority Infrastructure Areas;
• The charge areas; and 
• The ability to apply indexing to the charges with automatic increase provisions.

The amendments do not address the timing of the payment of infrastructure charges. The trigger for payment of levied charges are regulated in sections 122 and 123 of the Planning Act 2016.

Incentive policies and details about deferment are a separate decision of Council and if made will be made available on councils website.