Articles

Development intelligence,
written by practitioners

Insights from the people who actually run the numbers, assess the sites, and navigate the planning schemes. No theory. No filler. Just what we see on the ground in South East Queensland.

Planning Intelligence8 min read

Subdivision across SEQ: lot sizes, rules, and what the yields actually look like in 2026

Minimum lot sizes vary dramatically across South East Queensland — from 300m² in parts of Brisbane to 600m² on the Gold Coast. Understanding the rules council by council is the difference between a profitable subdivision and a stranded asset.

Robert Spooner · 22 February 2026
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Industry Intelligence6 min read

Why leading agents are using planning intelligence to win more listings

The agents consistently winning development site listings are the ones who show up to the appraisal with data the owner has never seen. Zoning analysis, yield estimates, and feasibility context are becoming table stakes in the development site market.

18 Feb 2026
Industry Intelligence7 min read

How data is changing pre-DA consulting for town planners

Town planners who can deliver faster, more accurate pre-DA advice are winning more work. The shift from manual planning scheme interpretation to data-driven site analysis is reshaping how planning consultancies operate across SEQ.

15 Feb 2026
Market Intelligence8 min read

Beyond the Sunshine Coast: where SEQ's next development corridors are emerging

The Sunshine Coast has dominated the SEQ development conversation for years. But growth pressure is building across Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and Redlands, and the zoning in some of these corridors is significantly more permissive than many developers realise.

12 Feb 2026
Development Strategy6 min read

Most development mistakes happen before you break ground

The biggest losses in property development rarely come from construction blowouts. They come from decisions made months earlier, when developers commit to sites without understanding what the numbers actually say.

10 Feb 2026
Planning Intelligence8 min read

What most developers miss about the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme

The Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme is one of the most layered planning instruments in Queensland. Developers who treat it as a simple zoning check are the ones who get caught out.

8 Feb 2026
Feasibility Analysis7 min read

Queensland development feasibility: what the numbers actually need to show

A feasibility study that only tells you the profit margin is missing the point. The real value is in what it tells you about risk, timing, and whether the project can survive a bad quarter.

5 Feb 2026
Market Intelligence7 min read

Sunshine Coast infill development: what the next five years look like

With 84,800 new dwellings needed by 2046 and 60% mandated as infill, the maths is simple. The window for acquiring well-zoned sites at reasonable prices is closing faster than most people realise.

1 Feb 2026
Development Strategy5 min read

Why three consultants cost you more than one integrated assessment

Hiring a planner, architect, and QS separately sounds thorough. In practice, it produces three reports that do not talk to each other, and the gaps between them are where the real risk lives.

28 Jan 2026
Planning Intelligence6 min read

How overlays quietly kill development margins on the Sunshine Coast

A site can look perfect on paper: good zoning, reasonable price, strong demand. Then you discover the flood overlay, the bushfire management area, or the heritage constraint that nobody mentioned.

24 Jan 2026
Market Intelligence7 min read

Sunshine Coast townhouse development: what you need to know in 2026

Townhouses are the dominant product type for infill development on the Sunshine Coast. But the economics are tighter than most people expect, and getting the product mix right is the difference between a strong return and a marginal one.

20 Jan 2026
Feasibility Analysis5 min read

Infrastructure charges on the Sunshine Coast: the cost developers underestimate

Infrastructure charges on the Sunshine Coast can run $28,000 to $35,000 per dwelling. On a six-unit project, that is over $200,000 before you have built anything. Yet they are routinely underestimated in early-stage feasibility.

16 Jan 2026
Development Strategy8 min read

Buying a development site on the Sunshine Coast: due diligence checklist

A practical checklist for anyone considering purchasing a development site on the Sunshine Coast. What to verify, what to question, and what the contract conditions should look like before you commit.

12 Jan 2026
Planning Intelligence7 min read

DA approval on the Sunshine Coast: timelines, costs, and what to expect

The development application process on the Sunshine Coast is longer and more complex than most developers anticipate. Understanding the process, typical timelines, and common pitfalls can save you months and tens of thousands of dollars.

8 Jan 2026