Infrastructure planning & charges

Council is able to levy charges for new development under the Planning Act 2016 and our Charges Resolution ( PDF, 1.48 MB ). As part of the development assessment process, Council may issue an infrastructure charges notice. This notice sets out the amount of infrastructure charges required to be paid, how these are calculated, and when they are due.

Infrastructure charges are intended to offset the impact of new development on infrastructure which is shared between multiple users and the public (trunk infrastructure). The infrastructure charges which Council levies contributes towards the costs of expansion and augmentation of trunk infrastructure. They are an important revenue source for Council and assist Council in managing the financial impacts of infrastructure demands arising from development growth and help in managing the fiscal impacts across the broad rates base (i.e. ratepayers).

For download

• Infrastructure charges fact sheet ( PDF, 0.24 MB )
• Infrastructure charges register
• Quarterly and annual trunk Infrastructure revenue & expenditure summary ( PDF, 0.69 MB )

Infrastructure planning considers the need for and delivery of infrastructure like roads, bikeways, water supply, wastewater, parks and community facilities.

The principal tool that identifies the infrastructure needed for local communities is a Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP), which forms part of a local government’s planning scheme. The LGIP also prioritises and includes estimates of the costs of delivering the infrastructure needed.

Infrastructure charges are levied on development as part of the development assessment process.

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 levies infrastructure charges under its Charges Resolution ( PDF, 1.48 MB ) which came into effect from 11 November 2021. The resolution details:

• the infrastructure charge rates for development
• the types of development subject to infrastructure charges
• the trunk infrastructure networks to which the infrastructure charges apply
• how infrastructure charges are calculated
• indexing of infrastructure charges
• refund and offset provisions
• the method for recalculating the cost of trunk infrastructure, and
• criteria used to assess applications to convert non trunk to trunk infrastructure.

For download

Infrastructure Charges fact sheet ( PDF, 0.24 MB )

Charges Resolution No. 2 of 2021 ( PDF, 1.48 MB )

Superseded – Charges resolution No 1 of 2021 ( PDF, 1.47 MB )

Superseded - Charges resolution No 1 of 2017 ( PDF, 2.25 MB )

Superseded - Infrastructure Charges Resoultion No 2 of 2017 ( PDF, 1.87 MB )

The recipient of an infrastructure charges notice may approach Council to enter into an infrastructure agreement for the deferred payment of levied charges.

We manage requests for deferred payment of levied charges under our General Policy for the Deferred Payment of Levied Charges ( PDF, 0.14 MB ).

Applicants need to meet the conditions for deferred payment of levied charges as set out in the General Policy and the Approved Form (link to DM 6986135).

For download

Application for deferred payment of levied charges ( PDF, 0.29 MB )

Infrastructure Charges fact sheet ( PDF, 0.24 MB )

Council manages requests to waive infrastructure charges for not-for-profit organisations under the Financial Assistance for Not-for-Profit Organisation - Fees & Charges General Policy ( PDF, 0.18 MB ).

This General Policy establishes a framework for the provision of financial assistance for Not for Profit organisations. It has been prepared to allow Council to consider applications from Not for Profit organisations for financial assistance in the form of a full or part waiver of specific fees and charges.

Council’s decision whether or not to give financial assistance either in full or part waiver of fees and charges relating to infrastructure is discretionary under the Policy.

For download

Infrastructure Charges factsheet ( PDF, 0.24 MB )

Not-for-profit organisation waiver form ( PDF, 0.44 MB )

The Planning Act 2016 distinguishes between ‘trunk’ and ‘non-trunk’ infrastructure.  Generally:

• Trunk infrastructure can be understood as larger items of infrastructure which service multiple users (i.e. external to the subject development).
• Non-trunk infrastructure refers to smaller items servicing only a particular development.

For example, a large road may be trunk infrastructure whereas an access road to a particular development will usually be non-trunk.

An important difference between ‘trunk’ and ‘non-trunk’ infrastructure is that:

• Council is required to pay for the upfront cost of trunk infrastructure.
• Developers provide and pay for the upfront cost of non-trunk infrastructure.

The Planning Act 2016 provides that Council may enter into agreements referred to in sections 67, 123, 131(2), 135(3), 144(2), 149(2) and 158 of the Planning Act. Such agreements are described under the Planning Act as Infrastructure Agreements (IA).

An IA is effectively a contract which is partly regulated by the Planning Act. It is legally binding and can attach to the land (rather than being personal between its parties). It will prevail over a development approval or infrastructure charges notice to the extent of any inconsistency.

Council has discretion to enter into an IA with developers and landowners. However, we cannot impose development conditions requiring a person to enter into an IA.

Entering into an IA is a voluntary agreement for all parties, and legislation requires all parties to act in good faith when negotiating an IA.

If you wish to commence negotiations with Cairns Regional Council, please complete the following form.

For download

Request for an Infrastructure Agreement ( PDF, 0.5 MB )