Sunshine Coast · South East Queensland · Development guide
Building a new house in Sunshine Coast: rules, approval and what the data shows
Zone rules from Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 plus real outcomes from decided Sunshine Coast council applications. Data current as of 26 July 2026.
According to Casa Intelligence analysis of 1,482 decided dwelling-house applications in Sunshine Coast, 85% were approved, with a median decision time of 67 days.
85%
Approval rate
1,261 of 1,482 decided applications
67 days
Median decision time
Lodgement to decision (n=1,436)
1,482
Decided applications
Comparable dwelling-house applications
12
Zones tracked
Rules from Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014
Do you need council approval for a new house (including knockdown-rebuild) in Sunshine Coast?
Queensland's Planning Act 2016 sorts development into three assessment categories: accepted development (no development application needed if you meet the stated requirements), code assessable (a DA assessed against the planning scheme's codes, no public notification), and impact assessable (a DA with public notification and third-party appeal rights). Which category applies to your project is set by Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 — and it depends on your zone, any precinct that applies, and the overlays on your lot.
A new house on a standard residential lot usually does not need a planning approval — building approval (through a private certifier) is the main process. But the exceptions are exactly what the decided applications on this page are: character and heritage overlays, small or irregular lots, steep or flood-affected land, and non-standard zones can each turn a new house or knockdown-rebuild into a development application under Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014.
None of this is answerable with certainty at council level — the pathway for your project is set by your lot's zone, precinct and overlays together. A free Casa block check reads those for your exact address in seconds.
New house rules by zone in Sunshine Coast
Zone-level provisions from Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014. Zone rules are the starting point — precinct mapping and overlays can tighten them for individual lots.
| Zone | Max height | Site cover | Setbacks (front / side / rear) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Facilities | 12 m / 3 storeys | — | — / — / — |
| Emerging Community | 9.5 m / 2 storeys | 50% | 6 m / 1.5 m / 3 m |
| High Density Residential | 22 m / 6 storeys | 60% | 6 m / 3 m / 6 m |
| High Impact Industry | 15 m / 3 storeys | 75% | 10 m / 5 m / 5 m |
| Low Density Residential | 8.5 m / 2 storeys | 50% | 6 m / 1.5 m / 3 m |
| Low Impact Industry | 12 m / 3 storeys | 75% | 6 m / 0 m / 0 m |
| Medium Density Residential | 12 m / 3 storeys | 50% | 6 m / 2 m / 3 m |
| Medium Impact Industry | 15 m / 3 storeys | 75% | 6 m / 0 m / 3 m |
| Open Space | 8.5 m / 2 storeys | 10% | 6 m / 1.5 m / 3 m |
| Rural Residential | 8.5 m / 2 storeys | 25% | 10 m / 5 m / 10 m |
| Rural | 8.5 m / 2 storeys | 10% | 10 m / 5 m / 6 m |
| Sport and Recreation | 12 m / 2 storeys | 20% | — / — / — |
“—” means the value is not recorded in our rules dataset, not that no rule exists. Always confirm against the current planning scheme before relying on a figure.
How new-house applications have fared in Sunshine Coast
Across 1,482 decided dwelling-house applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council, 1,261 were approved — an approval rate of 85%. That reflects a solid, though not automatic, track record for this kind of proposal. These are real, decided applications assessed by the council, not estimates or modelling.
The median time from lodgement to decision was 67 days (measured across the 1,436 applications in this cohort with both dates recorded). That is a fairly typical assessment timeframe for South East Queensland. Individual applications vary widely with information requests, referrals and the assessment pathway for the specific site.
We do not hold enough charged decision notices in this cohort to publish a median infrastructure charge for Sunshine Coast. As a statutory ceiling, Queensland caps adopted charges at $36,670.70 per three-or-more-bedroom dwelling or lot (2025–26 indexed) — an upper bound, not an estimate for your project.
Recent new-house decisions in Sunshine Coast
The most recent decided dwelling-house applications in this cohort, cited by real council application number so you can verify each one yourself.
| Application | Decision | Decided | Days to decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCU23/0310 | Approved | 20 May 2026 | 917 days |
| OPW25/0432 | Lapsed | 23 Apr 2026 | 193 days |
| MCU25/0369 | Approved | 18 Mar 2026 | 94 days |
| MCU25/0222 | Approved | 8 Mar 2026 | 210 days |
| MCU25/0308 | Approved | 4 Mar 2026 | 129 days |
New house in Sunshine Coast: common questions
Do I need council approval for a new house (including knockdown-rebuild) in Sunshine Coast?
It depends on your lot's zone, precinct and overlays under Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014. Queensland sorts development into accepted (no DA if requirements are met), code assessable (DA without public notification) and impact assessable (DA with public notification). Some compliant proposals of this type proceed without a planning application, others need a full DA. The only reliable way to know your pathway is to check your specific address.
What is the approval rate for new house (including knockdown-rebuild) applications in Sunshine Coast?
85% of the 1,482 decided dwelling-house applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council were approved (median 67 days to decision). Figures are indicative, derived from decided council records; past decisions do not guarantee future outcomes.
How long does new house (including knockdown-rebuild) approval take in Sunshine Coast?
The median time from lodgement to decision across the 1,436 dated applications in this cohort was 67 days. Individual applications vary with information requests, referrals and the assessment pathway that applies to the site.
About this guide
Zone rules on this page are drawn from Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 as recorded in our dataset, and application statistics from decided development applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council, current as of 26 July 2026. Planning schemes are amended over time and precincts, neighbourhood plans and overlays can vary the rules for individual lots. Past decisions describe how comparable proposals have fared — they do not guarantee, and cannot predict, the outcome of any future application. This page is general information, not planning or legal advice.
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Council-level rules tell you the framework. A free block check reads the zone, precinct and overlays for your address: Casa Score, zone and overlay position, in seconds.
Find out what these rules mean for your site
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