Land Development and Subdivision Code of Practice

QLDC's 2025 Land Development and Subdivision Code of Practice is now live.

>> Click here to view the new Code of Practice.

The Code is based on NZS 4404:2010 and provides guidelines and minimum standards to ensure the infrastructure Council receives through the subdivision process is functional, can be operated and maintained safely, and is consistent across subdivisions and developments throughout the district.

We continue to review the current Code of Practice, and have been making amendments to the guidance within it in a staged approach. Stage 1 was completed in February 2020, followed by Stage 2 in September 2020, and then part of Stage 3 in June 2022.

What we proposed

We proposed over 130 changes to the QLDC Land Development and Subdivision Code, with a particular focus on stormwater management to lessen environmental effects and ensure stormwater systems built today are suitable for the future.

Changes included updates to the standard drawing set, new appendices, and specific parameters for assessing and designing for stormwater catchments, as well as additional requirements and methodologies for designing and using stormwater treatment and soakage devices.

These changes reflect the working knowledge and practical issues we encounter in the district, and work to continue aligning our Code of Practice with best practice and to ensure infrastructure meets local conditions and our community’s expectations.

Timeline of review

Stage 1 – Feb 2020 (complete): Changes were primarily clarifications, updated references, and alignment with referenced standards. These changes were considered minor as they did not result in a significant change in cost to developers.

Stage 2 – Sep 2020 (complete): Changes involved items not addressed in Stage 1, including SQEP definition changes, and changes to align with QLDC’s Roading Construction Practice Note 2020.

Stage 3 – August 2024 (complete): Changes had a specific focus on amending the Stormwater section of the Code. This included updates to the standard drawing set, new appendices, and specific parameters for assessing and designing for stormwater catchments, as well as additional requirements and methodologies for designing and using stormwater treatment and soakage devices.

What happens next?

Significant demand for updates to the Code's roading and transport section was identified in recent feedback, and as a result, we expect to review these sections of the code at a date to be confirmed in 2026.