SDAP: Queensland state development assessment provisions
SDAP is the codified benchmark document SARA applies when a QLD DA triggers a state interest. 27 state codes cover roads, koala habitat, vegetation, waterways.
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The State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP) is Queensland’s codified benchmark document that the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) applies when it assesses a development application involving a state interest. Think of it as the council planning scheme’s state-level equivalent: where a council scheme tells the assessment manager what benchmarks to apply for local matters, SDAP tells SARA what benchmarks to apply for state matters.
SDAP is organised into 27 state codes, each addressing a specific type of state interest: transport infrastructure, coastal management, vegetation, koala habitat, heritage, waterways, and others. The current version is SDAP v3.6, dated 27 April 2026 and commenced 1 May 2026 (verified 2026-06-11, planning.qld.gov.au).
Also known as: State Development Assessment Provisions, SDAP.
Category: Planning / Queensland.
What it requires
SDAP requirements are activated when a development application triggers a state interest under Schedules 8, 9, or 10 of the Planning Regulation 2017 (Qld). SARA then becomes either:
- The assessment manager (applicant lodges directly with SARA, not with council), or
- A referral agency (applicant lodges with council, who then refers to SARA as part of the same DA process).
Which role applies depends on the trigger type. The relevant state codes become assessment benchmarks for SARA’s decision: SARA can only assess against the benchmarks in the applicable code, not any other matter.
Common triggers a builder or developer encounters:
| Trigger category | SDAP state codes (examples) |
|---|---|
| State-controlled road access (frontage or new driveway) | State Code 1 |
| State transport corridors (rail, busway, tunnel) | State Codes 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Coastal management | State Codes 8, 9 (coastal works, wetlands) |
| Waterway barrier works | State Code 18 |
| Marine plants and fish habitats | State Codes 11, 12 |
| Native vegetation clearing | State Code 16 |
| SEQ koala habitat areas | State Code 25 |
| Queensland heritage places | State Code 14 |
| Hazardous chemical facilities | State Code 21 |
| Environmentally relevant activities | State Code 22 |
For a residential or commercial builder, the most commonly encountered triggers are State Code 1 (new driveway or access from a state-controlled road), State Code 16 (vegetation clearing), and State Code 25 (koala habitat in South East Queensland). Riparian and waterway buffers that sit within Category R mapped vegetation also pull in State Code 16.
What it doesn’t cover
SDAP does not cover matters that sit with council under the local planning scheme. If a development application triggers both a SARA referral and local code assessment, the council assesses the local codes and SARA assesses the applicable SDAP state codes. The two assessments run in parallel through the same DA lodgement: SARA’s referral response comes back within its statutory clock (typically around 25 business days for standard referrals), and council cannot issue its decision until SARA’s response is received.
SDAP also does not replace or override local government planning schemes. Where a council scheme has its own provisions about, for example, vegetation or waterways, both sets of requirements apply. The state codes set a floor; the local scheme can add to it.
Practical implications
Check referral triggers at feasibility, not after design. The most common source of avoidable delay on QLD projects is discovering a SARA trigger after the design is finalised. A driveway onto a state road, a site with mapped koala habitat, a lot with Category R vegetation along a watercourse: these are straightforward to identify on a desktop check before committing to a program. Identify them early, address the relevant state code in the application documentation, and the referral is more likely to come back with workable conditions rather than an information request.
SARA adds time inside the DA clock. A standard SARA referral runs on its own 25-business-day statutory clock, nested within the overall DA timeframe. If SARA issues an information request (RFI), the clock pauses until the applicant responds. An RFI on a SARA referral is the single most common reason Queensland DAs run months over program on affected sites.
FastTrack5. SARA operates a FastTrack5 pathway for eligible low-risk applications. These are assessed without an information request and generally receive standardised conditions. The triggering criteria for FastTrack5 eligibility are set out in qualifying checklists on SARA’s website. Where FastTrack5 applies, the referral can be significantly faster than the standard statutory period.
Version currency. SDAP is updated periodically; the version in force at the time of application lodgement is the applicable version. SDAP v3.6 commenced 1 May 2026. Check the current version via planning.qld.gov.au before preparing assessment documentation, particularly for codes that have recently changed (for example, State Code 17 on aquaculture was updated for v3.6).
Source link
- Queensland Government SDAP page: planning.qld.gov.au
- SDAP v3.6 (PDF): planning.qld.gov.au/sdap-v3.6
References
- Queensland Government, State Development Assessment Provisions v3.6 (commenced 1 May 2026), via planning.qld.gov.au (verified 2026-06-11).
- Planning Regulation 2017 (Qld), Schedules 8, 9 and 10 (referral triggers and assessment benchmarks), via legislation.qld.gov.au (verified 2026-06-11).
- Queensland Government, SARA page, via planning.qld.gov.au (verified 2026-06-11).
Related
- SARA (State Assessment and Referral Agency)
- Riparian and waterway buffers
- QLD planning scheme structure
- Australian planning instrument hierarchy
See also
Last updated: 2026-06-11. Verified: 2026-06-11. Quarterly review for currency. SDAP v3.6 and Planning Regulation 2017 Schedule 8-10 structure verified against planning.qld.gov.au and legislation.qld.gov.au on 2026-06-11.