Queensland Housing Code

The draft Queensland Housing Code (draft QHC) has been developed in consultation with key stakeholders to promote consistent design and siting standards for detached houses on single lots across Queensland.

It is proposed to replace the existing design and siting provisions in the Queensland Development Code (QDC 1.1 and QDC 1.2).

Overview

Design and siting requirements are rules that govern how buildings and structures are designed and positioned on a lot.

The current QDC design and siting requirements for single detached dwellings and associated structures haven’t been updated in over 10 years.

Currently 56 of 77 local governments in Queensland use alternative provisions in their planning schemes.

Industry suggested this creates complexity and inefficiency, especially for builders and certifiers working across multiple local government areas.

Both Industry and local government have expressed concerns that the QDC is outdated, doesn’t reflect modern housing design principles, and fails to support housing diversity and choice.

How will a draft QHC help?

The draft QHC will deliver modern design and siting requirements reducing the need for variations to the QDC and promote greater consistency which will simplify processes for industry, local governments and the community alike.

The draft QHC forms as part of the Building Reg Reno (Building Regulation Renovation) initiatives, making it easier to build in Queensland.

Have your say

You are invited to provide your feedback on the draft QHC with a focus on its technical content to ensure the standards are fit for purpose.

You may attach supporting documentation to clarify and illustrate your comments.

There are four parts to the survey.

• Part 1 (draft QHC technical provisions)―gathers feedback on the draft QHC provisions to assess their alignment with contemporary housing designs in Queensland.
• Part 2 (application)―seeks feedback on the operational rules of the draft QHC, including
  • the types of dwellings to which the draft QHC will apply
  • the extent to which adopting local governments will be able to vary default requirements (e.g. building height and car parking requirements)
  • strategies to support local governments in transitioning to the draft QHC
  • how the draft QHC should apply to a Plan of Development that has been approved by local governments.
• Part 3 (outcomes and usabiity)―seeks feedback about the
  • clarity, relevance, and effectiveness of the draft QHC
  • potential benefits and outcomes of the draft QHC proposal.
• Part 4 tells us about you. This allows us to gain background information on participants and sector representation.

You can choose to complete only the sections of the survey relevant to you and your work.

The survey will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete and closes at midnight, Thursday 31 July 2025.

Ask the team

If you have any questions about the QHC or the survey itself, you can ask the team a question and view other questions and answers.

Related information

• Find out more about the draft QHC, including why it is needed.
• View the consultation draft QHC.
• Watch a webinar for an overview of the proposed changes and benefits.
• You can ask the team questions and view responses on the proposed QHC.
• Refer to QDC 1.1 (design and siting standards for single detached housing on lots under 450m²).
• Refer to QDC 1.2 (design and siting standards for single detached housing on lots 450m² and over).
• Navigate the proposed changes between QDC 1.1 and 1.2 and the draft QHC.