How to Respond to a Council Information Request (QLD)
Plain-English Summary
When you lodge a Development Application (DA) with Gold Coast City Council, council may send you a letter asking for more information before they can assess your application. This is called an Information Request. It is not a refusal — it simply means council needs more details to keep assessing your plans. You must respond correctly and on time, or your application could be suspended or lapsed.
Table of Contents
- What This Problem Actually Means
- Why This Problem Happens
- How Gold Coast City Council Assesses This Issue
- What Homeowners Can Do Next
- Common Mistakes Homeowners Make
- Example Scenario from the Gold Coast
- When to Get Professional Help
- Related Guides
- Final Plain-English Takeaway
What This Problem Actually Means
Under the Planning Act 2016 (QLD), council has the legal right to request more information from you after you lodge a DA. This is formally called an Information Request (sometimes written as “RFI”).
Once council sends this request, your application clock pauses. The days stop counting toward council’s assessment timeframe. The clock only restarts once you provide a complete and satisfactory response.
On the Gold Coast, this process is governed by the Planning Act 2016 and assessed against the Gold Coast City Plan 2016. Council may request missing plans, engineering reports, flood studies, bushfire assessments, or other documents depending on what overlays apply to your property.
An Information Request is not a refusal — but ignoring it or responding poorly can cause serious delays or even cause your application to lapse.
Why This Problem Happens
Information Requests are common, and they usually happen for predictable reasons:
- Incomplete drawings — missing dimensions, setbacks, or floor area calculations.
- No supporting reports — flood, bushfire, biodiversity, or character overlays often require specialist reports.
- Missing site analysis — council may need shadow diagrams, stormwater plans, or soil reports.
- Unclear use or design — council needs more detail if the proposal doesn’t clearly fit a code assessable use.
- Referral agency requirements — DTMR, Unitywater, or other agencies may require additional information.
Often these issues come down to the person who prepared and lodged your DA — a builder, draftsman, or owner-builder — not including everything council needed upfront.
How Gold Coast City Council Assesses This Issue
Gold Coast City Council follows the process set out in sections 50–51 of the Planning Act 2016 when issuing an Information Request.
Here is how the process works:
- Council reviews your DA once lodged.
- If information is missing, council issues a formal written Information Request.
- Your application is suspended immediately.
- You have a set timeframe to respond — extensions must be agreed in writing.
- If you do not respond within the agreed period, your DA may lapse.
- Once you respond, council resumes the clock and continues assessing your application.
Council will assess your response against the relevant zone codes, overlay codes, and use codes in the City Plan 2016. For impact assessable applications, public notification is separate from the Information Request process.
What Homeowners Can Do Next
Homeowners usually start by reading the request carefully, since council lists exactly what’s needed, and contacting the planning officer if anything is unclear.
The response deadline is generally noted early, since missing it can affect the application.
Depending on what’s requested, the right professionals may need to be involved — such as a town planner, certifier, hydraulic engineer, or ecologist.
A complete response to every item is generally needed, since missing one item can trigger a further Information Request.
Responses are typically submitted through the MyDAS2 portal or as council directs.
Following up to confirm council has received the response and reactivated the application is also common practice.
Common Mistakes Homeowners Make
- Ignoring the deadline.
- Responding only in part.
- Relying on the wrong person to fix the problem.
- Not understanding what council is actually asking for.
- Assuming it means refusal.
Illustrative Example (fictional)
The following is an illustrative, fictional example intended to show how a situation like this might be resolved; it is not a real case.
A homeowner in Mudgeeraba lodged a DA for a secondary dwelling on a 650m² block. The property sat within a flood overlay under the City Plan 2016.
Three weeks after lodgement, council issued an Information Request asking for:
- A flood level certificate.
- A stormwater management plan.
- Updated plans showing finished floor levels.
The homeowner had not been told these documents were required. The application was suspended while they engaged a hydraulic engineer. The response took six weeks to prepare. Once submitted, council resumed assessment and ultimately approved the DA.
When to Get Professional Help
You should contact a town planner, building designer, or planning lawyer if:
- You don’t understand what council is asking for.
- The request involves technical overlays.
- You are close to the deadline.
- Your builder or draftsman cannot help.
- Council has issued multiple Information Requests.
A town planner can coordinate specialists and prepare a compliant response. If your application has lapsed or been refused, you may need legal advice — see our guide on DA refused in QLD — what happens next.
Related Guides (Gold Coast & QLD)
If you are dealing with a council information request, these guides will help you understand your options:
- Information Request vs Refusal — Key Differences (QLD)
- Common Mistakes Homeowners Make in DA Applications (QLD)
- Builder-Lodged DA Refusal (QLD)
- Draftsman-Lodged DA Refusal (QLD)
- How Long Does a DA Take in QLD?
Final Plain-English Takeaway
An Information Request from Gold Coast City Council is not a refusal — it is a pause. Council is telling you they need more information before they can say yes or no. Respond quickly, address every item, and get professional help if needed. Missing the deadline or sending an incomplete response can cause serious delays or cause your application to lapse entirely.
This website provides general planning information only and is not legal, planning or design advice; homeowners, builders, owner-builders and developers should seek qualified professional assistance for any decisions relating to their Development Application or building project.
Contact — DA Refusal Help QLD
For general information or referral to a qualified town planner, contact:
Aaron — Client Liaison, DA Refusal Help QLD
Phone: 0477 767 423
Email: aaronbox193@gmail.com
This website provides general planning information only and is not legal, planning or design advice; homeowners, builders, owner‑builders and developers should seek qualified professional assistance for any decisions relating to their Development Application or building project.