You’ve come to the right place! Planit Consulting are your trusted partner for town planning services across the Gold Coast and South East Queensland. Whether you’re developing a residential property, commercial or industrial sites, or mixed-use project, we help you navigate planning approvals with confidence.
With two decades of local experience and a clear, practical approach, we simplify the planning process and work with you to get your project moving — faster.
From new homes, duplexes or multiple dwellings, to subdivisions and granny flats, our expert team support homeowners, builders and developers through every stage of residential town planning.
We provide clear, expert advice and manage applications through the council to ensure your project meets local planning requirements without unnecessary delays.
Backed by a deep understanding of the Gold Coast City Plan, we’re passionate about creating sustainable, well-planned developments that enhance our local community.
Our residential services from our Gold Coast office include:
We work closely with business owners, developers, and investors to unlock the potential of their sites and projects, helping secure fast approvals for residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments across the Gold Coast.
With 20 years of local experience, we know how to navigate the complexities of the Gold Coast City Plan, local council overlays, and area-specific master plans. Our deep understanding of the local planning framework means we can anticipate issues early, reduce assessment delays, and align your project with council expectations from the start.
Whether you’re planning a small business premises or a large mixed-use development, we offer practical, end-to-end support to help you move forward with confidence.
Our commercial and mixed-use services from our Gold Coast office include:
Planit Consulting supported Tweed Shire Council in securing approvals for the Tweed Coast Road Improvements…
Planit recently secured Development Consent for the Aureus Townhouses project at Skennars Head, within the…
The City of Gold Coast has developed a purpose-built Disaster and Emergency Management Centre (DEMC)…
Planit Consulting was engaged by Rekindling The Spirit to obtain development consent for a purpose-built…
Planit Consulting is proud to have supported Laundy Hotels in securing development approval for upgrades…
Planit Consulting was engaged to provide town planning services for the latest expansion of the…
Planit Consulting has proudly partnered with Tower Holdings on Harvest Estate, a landmark project setting…
Planit is leading the landscape, engineering, heritage and environmental works for the Northern Rivers Rail…
A town planner assesses your development proposal against the relevant planning scheme (Gold Coast City Plan) and manages the approval process with the council on your behalf.
This includes preparing and lodging Development Applications (DAs), Material Change of Use (MCU) applications, and Reconfiguring a Lot (subdivision) applications, as well as advising on site suitability, zoning, overlays, and conditions of approval.
Think of a town planner as your expert navigator through the planning system. They identify potential issues before they become costly problems, liaise directly with Council, and work to get your project approved as efficiently as possible, whether you’re building a dual occupancy, developing a commercial site, or reconfiguring land for subdivision.
A town planner and a building certifier serve different, and often sequential, roles in the development process, and they are not interchangeable.
A town planner operates within the land use planning system. We assess whether your proposed development is appropriate for the site under the planning scheme, obtain development approval (if required), and manage the relationship with the local planning authority (City of Gold Coast).
A building certifier (or private certifier) operates within the building approval system. They assess building plans against the Building Code of Australia (BCA), issue building approvals, and carry out mandatory inspections during construction.
Many projects require both. Generally, planning approval comes first, confirming what can be built and under what conditions, followed by building approval, which confirms how it must be built. If your project is primarily a construction compliance matter (i.e. you already have planning approval and need someone to sign off on the build), a building certifier is who you need. If you’re unsure whether your project requires planning approval, that’s exactly the kind of question our team can help you answer.
Not all development requires planning approval, but many significant projects do, and the rules are more nuanced than you may expect.
Under the Gold Coast City Plan, development approval is generally required for:
Minor residential alterations, internal fit-outs that don’t change the use of the premises, and some low-impact works may fall under accepted development (no approval needed) or self-assessable development. However, overlays such as flood zoning, block slope, character, or heritage constraints can change that assessment significantly.
If you’re unsure whether your project requires a planning application, the safest and most efficient first step is a feasibility conversation with our team.
We work across a broad range of residential and commercial projects, with a particular depth of experience in development that requires detailed planning knowledge and strategic Council engagement.
Our Gold Coast work spans:
We focus on projects where meaningful planning expertise adds real value. If you’re exploring whether a site can be developed, how it could be reconfigured, or what the best approval pathway looks like, that’s where we thrive.
Timeframes vary depending on the type and complexity of your application, but as a general guide:
Our team’s familiarity with the Gold Coast City Plan and the council’s assessment expectations means we prepare applications that minimise unnecessary hold-ups. We also leverage pre-lodgement meetings with the council to identify and resolve concerns before formal lodgement, which is one of the most effective tools available for complex projects.
Yes. Subdivision and reconfiguring a lot (ROL) is one of our core areas of expertise. Whether you’re looking to create a new lot for separate sale, subdivide to enable a dual occupancy, or reconfigure a larger landholding for staged development, we can advise on what’s achievable under the Gold Coast City Plan and manage the application through to approval.
Key factors that influence subdivision feasibility include your property’s zoning, lot size, frontage, and any applicable overlays (flooding, vegetation, infrastructure constraints). We’ll assess these upfront as part of a site feasibility review, so you have a clear picture of your options before committing to the application process.
For developers and landowners exploring subdivision as part of a broader redevelopment strategy, we can also coordinate with our civil engineering and project management teams to manage the full process from planning approval through to survey plan registration.
A Material Change of Use (MCU) is a type of development approval required when you want to use land or premises for a purpose that is different from — or more intensive than — its current approved use. It’s one of the most common applications we prepare for commercial and mixed-use clients.
Examples of when an MCU is typically required include:
Not all uses require a full MCU, and some may be accepted for development in the right zone or may qualify for a simpler assessment pathway. Our team will identify the correct approval pathway for your project from the outset, so you’re not over-engineering the process or missing an approval trigger that could cause problems down the track.
A site feasibility assessment is the most effective way to answer that question, and it’s a service we offer before you commit to any design or application process.
We look at a range of planning scheme factors, including zoning, the applicable planning code, density provisions, lot size, and any overlays (flooding, vegetation, slope, character, heritage) that might constrain what’s possible. We also consider the broader development context, infrastructure capacity, Council’s strategic intent for the area, and any recent or upcoming amendments to the planning scheme that may affect your site’s potential.
For investors, landowners, and developers considering a site acquisition or redevelopment, this kind of upfront advice can be the difference between a well-targeted purchase and a project that stalls at the approval stage. If you have a site or acquisition in mind, reach out to our team for an initial conversation about what might be achievable.
We’re based on the Gold Coast and service the entire City of Gold Coast local government area from Coomera and Pimpama in the north through to Coolangatta in the south, and out to the hinterland. We also work across South East Queensland, with local offices in Kingscliffe and Lennox Head, we can help with any projects over the border. If you’re unsure whether we cover your area, just get in touch.
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