Infrastructure Charges
Infrastructure charges are levied as part of the development assessment process to contribute to the provision of essential trunk infrastructure required to service new development. Trunk infrastructure is the main infrastructure such as water mains or higher order roads.
Charges contribute to the provision of Council's trunk infrastructure networks required to support the growth and development of the region as shown in Council's Local Government Infrastructure Plan .
Council currently levies infrastructure charges under its Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 5) 2015. This resolution will be superseded on 1 July 2022.
From 1 July 2022, a new Charges Resolution No.1 of 2022 will take effect which was adopted by Council on 25 January 2022.
Infrastructure Charges Resolution (2022)
Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (2015)
Superseded Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolutions (2011-2014)
Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 1) 2011(PDF, 437KB) was adopted on 22 November 2011.
Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 2) 2012(PDF, 516KB) was adopted on 12 December 2012.
Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 3) 2014(PDF, 436KB) was adopted 26 February 2014.
Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 4) 2014(PDF, 633KB) was adopted 25 August 2014.
Infrastructure charges are included in an Infrastructure Charges Notice. An Infrastructure Charges Notice may be triggered by accepted development, assessable development, approval of a change application or an approval to extend the relevant period.
The types of development that may trigger an Infrastructure Charges Notice to be issued are:
You may be able to enter into an infrastructure agreement in relation to the payment of infrastructure charges or for works that may be conditioned. Contact the Duty Planner on 1300 22 55 77 to discuss whether you are eligible to enter into an infrastructure agreement.
Infrastructure Charges Register
An overview of how infrastructure charges revenue is collected and expended is provided below:
- Infrastructure charges are collected in monetary form and in non-cash form as trunk infrastructure may be provided by a developer in lieu of paying the levied infrastructure charge.
- Not all infrastructure charges that are levied through development are collected by the local government, as the development approval may lapse.
- Under the Planning Act 2016, infrastructure charges revenue that is collected in monetary form, is not required to be spent in the same suburb or locality where it was collected.
- Infrastructure charges revenue may be used to pay for shared regional scale infrastructure such as an arterial road or sewerage treatment plant.
- Offset provisions under the Planning Act 2016, also allow for an entire infrastructure charge, relating to more than one network, to be applied against the cost of infrastructure to be provided under a condition of development (i.e. the construction of an arterial road).
- Due to slow development growth, infrastructure charges that are collected may sit with a local government for a period of time, before being spent on trunk infrastructure.
Infrastructure Charges Register(PDF, 376KB)
Infrastructure Charges Annual Report
2019/2020 Infrastructure Charges Annual Report(XLSX, 13KB)
2020/2021 Infrastructure Charges Annual Report(XLSX, 13KB)
2021/2022 Infrastructure Charges Annual Report(XLSX, 14KB)
2022/2023 Infrastructure Charges Annual Report(XLSX, 16KB)
2023/2024 Infrastructure Charges Annual Report(XLSX, 15KB)
Outstanding Infrastructure Charges
Frequently asked questions
How are unpaid infrastructure charges recovered?
This depends on how the charges were originally levied.
If the charges were levied in accordance with Council’s Priority Infrastructure Plan or an Adopted Infrastructure Charges Resolution, the process will involve Council writing to you seeking payment of the charges. If full payment is not received by Council within the timeframe specified in the letter, the unpaid infrastructure charges may be transferred to the rates account of your property.
If the charges or contributions were levied as conditions of a development approval in accordance with Council’s earlier Planning Scheme Policies, Council will write to you in relation to the outstanding contributions, seeking payment of these outstanding contributions. If payment in full is not received Council will issue you with a Show Cause Notice, which will request you to show cause why an Enforcement Notice should not be issued to you. If any response to the Show Cause Notice is not satisfactory to Council, Council may then issue you with an Enforcement Notice. This Enforcement Notice will require you to comply with the conditions of the development approval by making payment of the unpaid contributions. If payment is not made in response to the Enforcement Notice, Council may begin proceedings in Court to recover the unpaid infrastructure charges or contributions.
I was not the owner of the property at the time the charges or contributions were levied, why am I responsible for payment?
Infrastructure charges and development approvals attach to the land and are binding on the owner and the owner’s successors in title.