Brisbane · Subdivision guide
Subdividing in Brisbane: rules, approval and what the data shows
Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) sets the rules for a subdivision in Brisbane. The figures on this page come from 23,655 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Brisbane council, current to 9 Sept 2026.
According to Casa Intelligence analysis of 23,655 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications in Brisbane, 99% were approved, with a median decision time of 64 days.
99%
Approval rate
23,439 of 23,655 decided Brisbane applications
64 days
Median decision time
Lodgement to decision across 23,638 dated Brisbane cases
23,655
Decided applications
Brisbane reconfiguration and subdivision applications
$104,100
Median infra. charge
Across 16 charged Brisbane decision notices
Do you need council approval for a subdivision in Brisbane?
Whether a subdivision in Brisbane needs a development application is decided by Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36), which places each proposal in one of the three Planning Act 2016 categories: accepted development, code assessable or impact assessable. For a Brisbane lot the answer turns on the zone, any precinct mapped over it and the overlays that apply, so Brisbane council does not publish one blanket answer for subdivision proposals.
Subdividing a Brisbane lot, formally reconfiguring a lot, almost always requires a development application, so the live question in Brisbane is whether it is code or impact assessable and what minimum lot size and frontage apply. Casa's rules register for Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) records subdivision as contemplated in 12 of the 20 Brisbane zones it tracks.
5 of those Brisbane zone rows carry a minimum new-lot size that has been checked against the scheme's own table, from 300 m² in the Emerging Community zone to 800 m² in the Low Impact Industry zone, before precinct mapping and overlays are applied. Frontage, access and servicing tests then knock out Brisbane lots that clear the area test on paper.
The Brisbane record gives a feel for what assessment involves: a quarter of the 23,638 dated subdivision decisions were made within 30 days of lodgement, and a quarter took longer than 142 days.
The zone, precinct and overlay position of one Brisbane address is what settles the pathway for a subdivision, and a free Casa block check reads all three for any Brisbane lot in seconds.
What Brisbane’s scheme says about subdivision development
The passages below are quoted word for word from Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36), the instrument Brisbane council assesses subdivision proposals against, from the Subdivision code and Reconfiguring a lot (subdividing 1 lot into 2 lots) and associated operational works code, as Casa held the Brisbane scheme text on 9 Sept 2026.
“The purpose of the Subdivision code is to regulate development for reconfiguring a lot.”
“The purpose of the reconfiguring a lot (subdividing 1 lot into 2 lots) and associated operational works code is for assessing applications for code assessment for development for reconfiguring a lot …”
“A dwelling house, including the main dwelling, plus any secondary dwelling or ancillary outbuildings, in a zone in the Residential zones category is always to remain as a sole lot by any title or tenure.”
Source for these Brisbane subdivision passages: Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) (Brisbane council)
Subdivision position by zone in Brisbane
Casa's register holds 20 Brisbane zone rows relevant to a subdivision, each citing Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36), and precinct mapping and overlays tighten these subdivision positions for individual Brisbane lots.
| Zone | Subdivision | Min. lot (checked only) | Scheme reference held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Residential | Yes | 400 m² | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 1, Standard lots |
| District Centre | Yes | 400 m² | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 4, All other zones |
| Emerging Community | Yes | 300 m² | Table 9.4.10.3.B (Minimum lot dimensions and size of a lot), Brisbane City Plan 2014 |
| High Density Residential | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Industry | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Low Density Residential | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Low Impact Industry | Yes | 800 m² | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 4, All other zones |
| Low-Medium Density Residential | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Medium Density Residential | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Mixed Use | Yes | 400 m² | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 4, All other zones |
| Principal Centre | Yes | unchecked, withheld | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 4, All other zones |
| Priority Development Area | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| Community Facilities | No | n/a | not held |
| Conservation | No | n/a | not held |
| Environmental Management | No | n/a | not held |
| Open Space | No | n/a | not held |
| Rural Residential | No | n/a | Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) §9.4.10.3 AO1.1 with Table 9.4.10.3.B Part 4, All other zones |
| Rural | No | n/a | not held |
| Special Purpose | No | n/a | not held |
| Sport and Recreation | No | n/a | not held |
5 of the 20 Brisbane rows above carry a minimum lot size that was checked against the scheme's own lot table, and unchecked figures are withheld rather than shown. "not held" means Brisbane's register has no value for that subdivision cell, not that the scheme is silent. Height, setback and site-cover figures for Brisbane zones are held in the register but have not been checked against the scheme text, so they are not printed on this subdivision page.
How subdivision applications have fared in Brisbane
Brisbane council has decided 23,655 reconfiguration and subdivision applications in our dataset, approving 23,439 (99%) and refusing 216. That is level with the pooled South East Queensland figure of 99% across 42,549 decided subdivision applications in the 7 councils Casa tracks, ranking Brisbane 2nd of 7 for approval rate.
Subdivision work is 16% of everything Brisbane council has decided in our records (144,775 applications of all kinds), which makes Brisbane the largest subdivision cohort of the 7 councils.
The median Brisbane decision took 64 days from lodgement, measured across the 23,638 subdivision applications with both dates recorded, 12 days faster than the 76-day middle council for this cohort. Brisbane decisions made since the start of 2024 ran at a median of 76 days (3,180 cases), 12 days longer than the long-run Brisbane figure.
The busiest year for subdivision decisions in Brisbane was 2018, with 1,805 decided. In 2025 Brisbane council decided 1,339 and approved 99.8%, against 1,284 decided in 2024.
By suburb, Brisbane's subdivision decisions cluster in Camp Hill (470 decided, 99% approved), Coorparoo (407 decided, 99% approved) and Rochedale (402 decided, 99% approved).
Across the 16 Brisbane decision notices in this cohort that levied infrastructure charges, the median total charge was $104,100. Brisbane's charges scale with the lots or dwellings created, and credits for existing use reduce what a subdivision actually pays.
Brisbane subdivision decisions by year
| Year | Decided | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,622 | 1,613 | 9 | 99% |
| 2022 | 1,533 | 1,528 | 5 | 100% |
| 2023 | 1,236 | 1,234 | 2 | 100% |
| 2024 | 1,284 | 1,276 | 8 | 99% |
| 2025 | 1,339 | 1,336 | 3 | 100% |
| 2026 | 557 | 555 | 2 | 100% |
Recent subdivision decisions in Brisbane
The 5 most recently decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Brisbane council, each cited by Brisbane's own application number so it can be looked up on the council's register.
| Application | Decision | Decided | Days to decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| A006992871 | Approved | 22 May 2026 | 52 days |
| A006909999 | Approved | 22 May 2026 | 175 days |
| A007002323 | Approved | 22 May 2026 | 36 days |
| A006934978 | Approved | 22 May 2026 | 135 days |
| A006973730 | Approved | 21 May 2026 | 76 days |
Subdivision in Brisbane: common questions
Do I need council approval for a subdivision in Brisbane?
Only your lot's zone, precinct and overlays under Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) can answer that for a subdivision at a Brisbane address. Subdividing a Brisbane lot almost always needs a development application, and the scheme sets whether it is code or impact assessable. Brisbane council has decided 23,655 reconfiguration and subdivision applications in our records, so the pathway question comes up constantly in Brisbane.
Which zones allow subdivision development in Brisbane?
Casa's register for Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) records subdivision development as contemplated in Character Residential, District Centre, Emerging Community, High Density Residential, Industry, Low Density Residential and 6 other zones, 12 of the 20 Brisbane zones tracked. Precinct mapping and overlays can still restrict a Brisbane lot inside one of those zones.
What is the approval rate for subdivision applications in Brisbane?
99% of the 23,655 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Brisbane council were approved and 216 were refused. Brisbane sits against a pooled subdivision figure of 99% across the 7 South East Queensland councils Casa tracks. These are past Brisbane decisions and they do not guarantee any future subdivision outcome.
How long does subdivision approval take in Brisbane?
The median time from lodgement to decision across the 23,638 dated subdivision applications in Brisbane was 64 days. A quarter of Brisbane decisions came within 30 days and a quarter took longer than 142 days. Since the start of 2024 the Brisbane median has been 76 days across 3,180 decisions.
How much are infrastructure charges for subdivision projects in Brisbane?
Across the 16 Brisbane decision notices in this cohort that levied charges, the median total infrastructure charge was $104,100. Brisbane's charges scale with the lots or dwellings a subdivision creates and existing-use credits reduce them.
What does Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36) say about subdivision development in Brisbane?
The Subdivision code (section 9.4.10.2) states: "The purpose of the Subdivision code is to regulate development for reconfiguring a lot."
About this guide
The zone rows on this page come from Casa's rules register for Brisbane City Plan 2014 (v36), and the statistics from 23,655 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Brisbane council between 15 Jan 2004 and 22 May 2026, computed on 9 Sept 2026.
Brisbane amends its scheme over time, and precincts, local plans and overlays can vary these subdivision rules for a single Brisbane lot. Past Brisbane decisions describe how comparable subdivision proposals fared and do not predict any future application.
This page is general information, not planning or legal advice.
Would a Brisbane block support a subdivision? Check the address free.
Brisbane-wide subdivision rules give the frame, and a free block check reads the zone, precinct and overlays for one Brisbane address and returns a Casa Score for a subdivision in seconds.
What the Brisbane subdivision rules mean for your site
This guide covers Brisbane at council level across 23,655 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications. A Preliminary Planning Report covers one address: the likely pathway for a subdivision, the constraints on that Brisbane lot, and the comparable Brisbane approvals, prepared by our planning team and delivered within three business days.