Setting up a home business
Operating a business from home has many benefits:
- lower overheads
- less travel time
- greater flexibility to balance work and family.
If you are thinking of starting a home business, Brisbane City Council has planning criteria for this type of activity. These criteria address issues such as the number of employees that can work at your home, signage, car parking and hours of operation.
A 'home business' is defined in City Plan as the:
‘use of premises for commercial, government or non-profit activity that is carried out on a lot used primarily for residential purposes.’
If your home business has the potential to impact on your neighbours including an increase in vehicle traffic in your street, you might need planning approval from Council before you can begin.
Small home businesses that have little impact on neighbouring properties normally don’t need planning approval. Sometimes, by making sure your business meets Council’s requirements, you can avoid the need to submit a planning application. This can save you time and money.
Planning criteria for a home business
You can begin operating your home business without planning approval from Council if you meet the following two criteria:
- your property is located in one of the following Area classifications (zones):
- Environmental Protection Area
- Rural Area
- Emerging Community Area
- Low Density Residential Area
- Character Residential Area
- Low-medium Density Residential Area
- High Density Residential Area
- Multi-purpose Centre
Do a property enquiry search to find out which Area classification your property is in.
- your business meets all of the self assessable criteria set out in City Plan (listed in the Home Business Code under the column headed 'Acceptable Solutions for Self Assessment’)
If your business will not meet the self assessable criteria in the House Code and your property is not within one of the Area classifications listed above, you will need to lodge an impact assessable application with Council.
Once Council has made an initial assessment of your application, and you have provided any extra information required, you must publicly inform the community of your plans. This involves:
- placing a sign on your property for a specified period
- placing a notice in a local newspaper, and
- providing written advice to all of your adjoining neighbours
This is a requirement of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.
Council will assess your application against all the criteria set out in the Home Business Code (including those listed under the column headed ‘Acceptable Solutions for Impact Assessment’) and any requirements of a Local Plan for that Area. Any submissions received in response to the public notification will also be considered.
If your business exceeds the criteria contained in the Home Business Code, it is unlikely that Council will approve your application.
