Planning local infrastructure

Frequently asked questions

• What is the purpose of an LGIP?

  An LGIP:

  • integrates infrastructure planning with the land use planning identified in the local planning scheme
  • provides transparency regarding a local government's intentions for the provision of trunk infrastructure
  • enables a local government to estimate the cost of providing infrastructure to assist its long-term financial planning and asset management
  • ensures that planned trunk infrastructure is efficiently delivered
  • provides a basis for imposing conditions about infrastructure on development approvals.
• What infrastructure is included in LGIPs?

  LGIPs can include infrastructure for five local infrastructure networks that provide essential services for development:

  • water
  • sewerage
  • transport
  • storm water
  • public parks and land for community facilities.

  Infrastructure that is generally not shared with other premises and is internal to a development site (for example, a cul-de-sac within a residential subdivision) is termed non-trunk infrastructure. Non-trunk infrastructure is not included in an LGIP.

• How do you make, amend or review an LGIP?

  The Minister's Guidelines and Rules (MGR) outlines mandatory steps local governments must follow when making, amending or reviewing an LGIP.

  There are four types of LGIP amendments outlined in the MGR. An LGIP is required to be reviewed every five years.

• What are water netserv plans?

  Distributor-retailers are South East Queensland specific entities that are responsible for preparing water netserv plans. These plans provide information about their water and wastewater (sewerage) networks (including the provision of trunk infrastructure) and water and wastewater services for at least 20 years.

  Water netserv plans must be updated every five years and need to be consistent with and aligned to the South East Queensland Regional Plan and any relevant planning assumptions. They are endorsed by the Planning Minister.

  For more information about preparing and getting water netserv plans endorsed, please refer to the Local infrastructure planning – Guidance for local government and applicants ( 1.8 MB).

  Water netserv plans exist for the following distributor-retailers:

  • Queensland Urban Utilities
  • Unitywater
  • Gold Coast City Council
  • Logan City Council
  • Redlands City Council
• Who establishes and collects infrastructure charges?

  The infrastructure planning and charges framework allows local governments to collect money to plan for and deliver local infrastructure. The framework provides a transparent, equitable and balanced approach to local government infrastructure charging.

  The prescribed amounts for infrastructure charges in Queensland are located at Schedule 16 of the Planning Regulation 2017. Amounts levied by local governments cannot exceed the figures present in Schedule 16, subject to indexation.

  There is a close relationship between the LGIP and infrastructure charges. For example, LGIPs form the basis for identifying trunk infrastructure and imposing conditions about infrastructure when local governments assess development applications.

  You are encouraged to view the Local infrastructure planning – Guidance for local government and applicants ( 1.8 MB) or contact your local government for more information.

• Can the community find out how the collected money is spent?

  All local governments with a LGIP are required to keep, and have available for inspection and purchase, an infrastructure charges register. The online version of the register is searchable and downloadable. Local governments are required to update the register monthly.

  Local governments also report annually, some quarterly, on the trunk infrastructure items delivered by the local government and developers for the previous financial year.

  To assist local government, our department has developed templates for the infrastructure charges register and infrastructure charges information/trunk infrastructure information.

• Who reviews LGIPs?

  The state government appoints and maintains a panel of pre-approved LGIP reviewers.

  Local governments can identify and appoint a contractor from this panel to conduct an objective review of their draft LGIP under the processes prescribed in the Minister's Guidelines and Rules. Local governments are directly responsible for identifying and appointing a reviewer from the panel.

  The current panel details are available in the Local infrastructure planning – Guidance for local government and applicants ( 1.8 MB).