How Long Do South East Queensland Councils Take to Decide a DA?
Across South East Queensland, the median time to decide a development application is 24 days — but that figure hides a wide spread between councils. Based on PlanEase's analysis of 5,612 development applications lodged across 15 SEQ councils between June 2025 and June 2026, the median decision time among the nine councils with decided applications ranged from 9 days to 46 days.
For developers, surveyors and planners coordinating a project, that range matters: where you lodge, and what you lodge, shapes how long the assessment stage takes — and that feeds directly into your program through to plan sealing and settlement.
Median DA decision time by council
Median time from lodgement to decision, June 2025 – June 2026, for the South East Queensland councils with decided applications in the period (PlanEase analysis):
- Mackay9 days
- Gold Coast18 days
- Redland18 days
- Ipswich22 days
- Sunshine Coast24 days
- Brisbane28 days
- Toowoomba34 days
- Somerset35 days
- Logan46 days
Figures are point-in-time as at June 2026 and reflect applications with a recorded decision and decision duration. They will move as councils work through their current caseload.
Why decision times vary so much
A median is a useful single number, but the variation between councils reflects real differences in what is being assessed. Councils handling a high proportion of straightforward, code-assessable applications tend to turn decisions around quickly. Where applications involve referral agencies, impact assessment, or complex infrastructure questions, the assessment naturally takes longer.
The mix of application types in a council's caseload pulls the median up or down. A council seeing many operational works approvals or material change of use applications will report different decision times to one dominated by simpler building work. Decision time is a signal, not a verdict on a council's performance.
Why this matters beyond the approval
A fast decision is good news, but it's only the first stage. Once a development approval is issued, the conditions attached to it have to be satisfied before the project can move through plan sealing to registered titles. That post-approval stage is where most subdivision projects actually lose time — not in the assessment itself.
Knowing a council's typical decision time helps you plan the front of your program. Managing the conditions that follow is what keeps the back of the program on track. See managing DA conditions across a project and why plan sealing breaks down at the end for how the two connect.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average time to get a DA approved in South East Queensland?
Across South East Queensland councils, PlanEase data shows a median time to decision of 24 days for applications lodged between June 2025 and June 2026. Individual councils ranged from a median of 9 days to 46 days, so the figure for your project depends heavily on the council and the type of application.
Which SEQ council is fastest for development applications?
In this dataset Mackay recorded the lowest median decision time at around 9 days, with Gold Coast and Redland around 18 days. Decision time reflects the mix of applications a council assesses, so a fast median does not necessarily mean a simpler approval for your specific project.
Does a quick DA decision mean a quick path to settlement?
No. The decision is only the start. After approval, the conditions attached to the DA must be satisfied and the survey plan sealed before titles can be registered and lots settled. For most subdivision projects, the time between approval and registered title is far longer than the assessment itself.
Where does this decision-time data come from?
It is PlanEase's own analysis of public Queensland council development application registers — 5,612 applications across 15 SEQ councils lodged between June 2025 and June 2026. Median decision times are calculated from applications with a recorded decision and decision duration, as at June 2026.
Manage what happens after the decision
PlanEase helps SEQ project teams track DA conditions from approval through to plan sealing and registered titles.
See how Planease works →