Sunshine Coast · Subdivision guide
Subdividing in Sunshine Coast: rules, approval and what the data shows
Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, Version 27 sets the rules for a subdivision in Sunshine Coast. The figures on this page come from 9,733 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council, current to 9 Sept 2026.
According to Casa Intelligence analysis of 9,733 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications in Sunshine Coast, 99% were approved, with a median decision time of 40 days.
99%
Approval rate
9,594 of 9,733 decided Sunshine Coast applications
40 days
Median decision time
Lodgement to decision across 9,514 dated Sunshine Coast cases
9,733
Decided applications
Sunshine Coast reconfiguration and subdivision applications
13
Zones tracked
Sunshine Coast subdivision zone rows citing Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014
Do you need council approval for a subdivision in Sunshine Coast?
Whether a subdivision in Sunshine Coast needs a development application is decided by Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, Version 27, which places each proposal in one of the three Planning Act 2016 categories: accepted development, code assessable or impact assessable. For a Sunshine Coast lot the answer turns on the zone, any precinct mapped over it and the overlays that apply, so Sunshine Coast council does not publish one blanket answer for subdivision proposals.
Subdividing a Sunshine Coast lot, formally reconfiguring a lot, almost always requires a development application, so the live question in Sunshine Coast is whether it is code or impact assessable and what minimum lot size and frontage apply. Casa's rules register for Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 records subdivision as contemplated in 7 of the 13 Sunshine Coast zones it tracks.
6 of those Sunshine Coast 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 2,000 m² in the High Impact Industry zone, before precinct mapping and overlays are applied. Frontage, access and servicing tests then knock out Sunshine Coast lots that clear the area test on paper.
The Sunshine Coast record gives a feel for what assessment involves: a quarter of the 9,514 dated subdivision decisions were made within 20 days of lodgement, and a quarter took longer than 100 days.
The zone, precinct and overlay position of one Sunshine Coast address is what settles the pathway for a subdivision, and a free Casa block check reads all three for any Sunshine Coast lot in seconds.
What Sunshine Coast’s scheme says about subdivision development
The passage below is quoted word for word from Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, Version 27, the instrument Sunshine Coast council assesses subdivision proposals against, from the Reconfiguring a lot code, as Casa held the Sunshine Coast scheme text on 9 Sept 2026.
“The purpose of the Reconfiguring a lot code is to ensure that new lots are configured in a manner which:- (a) is consistent with the desired character of the local area; (b) is appropriate for their intended use; (c) is responsive to site constraints; (d) provides appropriate access (including access for services); and (e) supports high quality urban and landscape design outcomes.”
Source for these Sunshine Coast subdivision passages: Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 (Sunshine Coast council)
Subdivision position by zone in Sunshine Coast
Casa's register holds 13 Sunshine Coast zone rows relevant to a subdivision, each citing Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, and precinct mapping and overlays tighten these subdivision positions for individual Sunshine Coast lots.
| Zone | Subdivision | Min. lot (checked only) | Scheme reference held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerging Community | Yes | 300 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| High Density Residential | Yes | unchecked, withheld | not held |
| High Impact Industry | Yes | 2,000 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Low Density Residential | Yes | 400 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Low Impact Industry | Yes | 800 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Medium Density Residential | Yes | 300 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Medium Impact Industry | Yes | 1,000 m² | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Community Facilities | No | n/a | Part 6.2.2 Community facilities zone code |
| Limited Development (Constrained Land) | No | n/a | Part 6.2.6 Limited development (constrained land) zone code |
| Open Space | No | n/a | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Rural Residential | No | n/a | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Rural | No | n/a | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
| Sport and Recreation | No | n/a | Table 9.4.4.3.2 (Minimum lot size and dimensions), Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 |
6 of the 13 Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast's register has no value for that subdivision cell, not that the scheme is silent. Height, setback and site-cover figures for Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast council has decided 9,733 reconfiguration and subdivision applications in our dataset, approving 9,594 (99%) and refusing 139. 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 Sunshine Coast 3rd of 7 for approval rate.
Subdivision work is 30% of everything Sunshine Coast council has decided in our records (32,051 applications of all kinds), which makes Sunshine Coast the 2nd largest subdivision cohort of the 7 councils.
The median Sunshine Coast decision took 40 days from lodgement, measured across the 9,514 subdivision applications with both dates recorded, 36 days faster than the 76-day middle council for this cohort. Sunshine Coast decisions made since the start of 2024 ran at a median of 45 days (1,014 cases), 5 days longer than the long-run Sunshine Coast figure.
The busiest year for subdivision decisions in Sunshine Coast was 2017, with 774 decided. In 2025 Sunshine Coast council decided 527 and approved 99.6%, against 407 decided in 2024.
Where the Sunshine Coast application description states the lot count, the typical subdivision was a 4-lot outcome across 3,417 described applications, and 40% of those were one-into-two splits.
By suburb, Sunshine Coast's subdivision decisions cluster in Buderim (790 decided, 97% approved), Maroochydore (600 decided, 99% approved) and Peregian Springs (459 decided, 99% approved).
Sunshine Coast subdivision decisions by year
| Year | Decided | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 638 | 631 | 7 | 99% |
| 2022 | 550 | 549 | 1 | 100% |
| 2023 | 416 | 416 | 0 | 100% |
| 2024 | 407 | 403 | 4 | 99% |
| 2025 | 527 | 525 | 2 | 100% |
| 2026 | 83 | 82 | 1 | 99% |
Recent subdivision decisions in Sunshine Coast
The 3 most recently decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council, each cited by Sunshine Coast's own application number so it can be looked up on the council's register.
| Application | Decision | Decided | Days to decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAL24/0109 | Approved | 14 Apr 2026 | 482 days |
| RAL25/0081 | Approved | 9 Apr 2026 | 207 days |
| MCU25/0110 | Approved | 23 Mar 2026 | 326 days |
Subdivision in Sunshine Coast: common questions
Do I need council approval for a subdivision in Sunshine Coast?
Only your lot's zone, precinct and overlays under Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 can answer that for a subdivision at a Sunshine Coast address. Subdividing a Sunshine Coast lot almost always needs a development application, and the scheme sets whether it is code or impact assessable. Sunshine Coast council has decided 9,733 reconfiguration and subdivision applications in our records, so the pathway question comes up constantly in Sunshine Coast.
Which zones allow subdivision development in Sunshine Coast?
Casa's register for Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 records subdivision development as contemplated in Emerging Community, High Density Residential, High Impact Industry, Low Density Residential, Low Impact Industry, Medium Density Residential and 1 other zone, 7 of the 13 Sunshine Coast zones tracked. Precinct mapping and overlays can still restrict a Sunshine Coast lot inside one of those zones.
What is the approval rate for subdivision applications in Sunshine Coast?
99% of the 9,733 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council were approved and 139 were refused. Sunshine Coast sits against a pooled subdivision figure of 99% across the 7 South East Queensland councils Casa tracks. These are past Sunshine Coast decisions and they do not guarantee any future subdivision outcome.
How long does subdivision approval take in Sunshine Coast?
The median time from lodgement to decision across the 9,514 dated subdivision applications in Sunshine Coast was 40 days. A quarter of Sunshine Coast decisions came within 20 days and a quarter took longer than 100 days. Since the start of 2024 the Sunshine Coast median has been 45 days across 1,014 decisions.
What does Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 say about subdivision development in Sunshine Coast?
The Reconfiguring a lot code (section 9.4.4.2) states: "The purpose of the Reconfiguring a lot code is to ensure that new lots are configured in a manner which:- (a) is consistent with the desired character of the local area; (b) is appropriate for their intended use; (c) is responsive to site constraints; (d) provides appropriate access (including access for services); and (e) supports high quality urban and landscape design outcomes."
About this guide
The zone rows on this page come from Casa's rules register for Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, Version 27, and the statistics from 9,733 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications recorded against Sunshine Coast council between 5 Aug 1999 and 14 Apr 2026, computed on 9 Sept 2026.
Sunshine Coast amends its scheme over time, and precincts, local plans and overlays can vary these subdivision rules for a single Sunshine Coast lot. Past Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast block support a subdivision? Check the address free.
Sunshine Coast-wide subdivision rules give the frame, and a free block check reads the zone, precinct and overlays for one Sunshine Coast address and returns a Casa Score for a subdivision in seconds.
What the Sunshine Coast subdivision rules mean for your site
This guide covers Sunshine Coast at council level across 9,733 decided reconfiguration and subdivision applications. A Preliminary Planning Report covers one address: the likely pathway for a subdivision, the constraints on that Sunshine Coast lot, and the comparable Sunshine Coast approvals, prepared by our planning team and delivered within three business days.