Water & environment · Toowoomba Regional Council
Tiny-home proposal would allow short stays without approval in Toowoomba region
A proposed amendment would allow stays of less than two or four weeks, depending on the property, while setting land-size, service, safety and amenity requirements for approved occupation.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
People wanting to stay temporarily in a caravan, tiny home or other portable dwelling could get limited approval-free periods under a proposed Toowoomba Regional Council law change. The Environment and Community Committee recommended at least 31 days of public consultation, but the supplied record does not establish that Council has endorsed consultation or made the law.
The draft Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 would not require approval for one temporary home occupied for a cumulative period of less than two weeks in any 52-week period where no permanent dwelling exists. The period would be less than four weeks where a permanent dwelling exists.
Those exemptions would apply only if no waste, including greywater, was deposited or left on the property, the temporary home was not a Class 10a building or structure, and no more than one temporary home was established or occupied at a time.
For occupation requiring approval under the local law, the proposed rules would require a property of at least 750 square metres and limit each property to one temporary home. The home would need to remain relocatable, with operable wheels and towing equipment, current registration and no permanent attachment to land, buildings, structures or utility services.
For approved occupation, the proposal also sets conditions for potable water, wastewater disposal, sanitation, bathing and laundry facilities, refuse or recycling services, occupancy numbers, public health, safety and local amenity. Where no permanent dwelling exists, an applicant would need current development approval for a permanent Class 1a dwelling, with the temporary home used as interim accommodation while it is built. Occupants under this approval pathway could not pay for the accommodation and would be limited to family members or friends of the property owner.
The report says Council would consider compliance, complaints and public health, safety and amenity impacts when deciding whether to grant a new approval.
The committee recommendation proposes public consultation for a minimum of 31 days, followed by a report to Council on submissions, possible amendments and whether the proposed 2026 subordinate local law should proceed. The report says the recommendation does not commit Council to making the amendment.
The review examined approaches used by 16 local governments and included feedback from Fraser Coast Regional Council and Lockyer Valley Regional Council. Council officers described public commentary in the Toowoomba region as indicative rather than statistically representative, with sentiment mixed but generally supportive of reviewing restrictions on temporary homes, caravans and tiny homes. Planning, building and plumbing requirements may also apply, depending on how an accommodation arrangement is established and used.
What deserves a closer look
The proposal would create a conditional, limited approval-free pathway, with separate siting, service, safety and amenity requirements for occupation requiring approval.
The supplied record contains a committee recommendation, not a Council resolution endorsing consultation or finally making the proposed law.
Questions for follow-up reporting
If Council endorses consultation, when and where would it be advertised, and what would be the submission closing date?
If consultation proceeds, when would Council receive the post-consultation report?
What happens next
If Council endorses the recommendation, public consultation would be undertaken on the proposed subordinate local law for a minimum of 31 days in accordance with Council's adopted law-making process.
If consultation proceeds, officers would review submissions and present a further report summarising submissions, recommended amendments and whether the proposed law should proceed.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The committee recommendation proposes public consultation on the 2026 temporary-home subordinate local law for a minimum of 31 days.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION That Council: 1. Note the findings of the review of Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2020, as detailed in this report; 2. Endorse the proposed amendment to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2020, for the purpose of public consultation; 3. Propose to make the Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2026 in accordance with Council's adopted law-making process (Attachment 1); 4. Undertake public consultation on the proposed Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2026 for a minimum period of 31 days in accordance Page 26 of 60 Toowoomba Regional CouncilEnvironment and Community Committee 10 November 2026 with Council's adopted law-making process.
Item 4, committee recommendation, points 1–4
Open original minutes ↗The committee recommendation proposes a further report after consultation, considering submissions and recommendations on whether the proposed 2026 temporary-home subordinate local law should proceed.
(Attachment 2 Toowoomba Regional Council's Law-Making Process to Make or Amend a Subordinate Local law); and 5. Receive a further report following completion of the public consultation process, including consideration of submissions received and recommendations regarding whether the proposed Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2026 should proceed. Page 27 of 60 Toowoomba Regional CouncilEnvironment and Community Committee 10 November 2026 CORPORATE PLAN REFERENCE 1.1Encourage initiatives that address community health and wellbeing.
Item 4, committee recommendation, point 5
Open original minutes ↗The proposed approval exemptions cover one temporary home for cumulative periods of less than two weeks in any 52-week period without a permanent dwelling, or less than four weeks with one. They would apply only if no waste, including greywater, is deposited during occupation or left after departure, the home is not a Class 10a building or structure, and no more than one temporary home is established or occupied at a time.
2 Activities that do not require an approval under the authorising local law (1) An approval under the authorising local law is not required for the establishment or occupation of 1 temporary home on premises — (a) for a cumulative period of less than 2 weeks in any fifty-two-week period where no existing permanent dwelling is established on the premises; or (b) for a cumulative period of less than 4 weeks in any fifty-two-week period where an existing permanent dwelling is established on the premises. (2) However, subsection (1) applies only if— (a) no waste materials, including greywater, are deposited on the premises during occupation or left on the premises following departure; and (b) the temporary home is not a Class 10a building or structure; and (c) no more than 1 temporary home is established or occupied on the premises at any 1 time. 3 Documents and materials that must accompany an application for an approval An application for approval must be accompanied by— (a) the name, address, telephone number and email address of the applicant and the person to whom the application relates;
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, section 2
Open original minutes ↗The attached proposal would require premises seeking approval to have a minimum area of 750 square metres.
and (f) where the applicant is not the owner of the premises — the written consent of the owner of the premises. 4 Additional criteria for the granting of an approval For all approvals, the additional criteria are that — (a) the premises on which the temporary home is proposed to be located must have a minimum area of 750m 2 ;
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, section 4(a)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed approval criteria would limit premises to one temporary home, require emergency relocatability, operable wheels and towing components and current transport registration, and prohibit permanent attachment to land, buildings, structures or utility services.
and (vi) at least 10m from any surface irrigated effluent disposal area; and (c) no more than 1 temporary home is to be established on the premises; and (d) the temporary home must be designed for, and capable of being, readily relocated to a safe location in the event of an emergency, natural disaster or other evacuation event; and (e) the temporary home must be fitted with, and remain fitted with, wheels and associated towing components that are maintained in an operable condition at all times; and (f) the temporary home must be currently registered under the relevant transport legislation; and (g) the temporary home must not be permanently attached to any land, building, structure or utility service of the premises; and (h) an adequate source of potable water must be available for all occupants of the temporary home;
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, sections 4(c)–(g)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed approval criteria would require potable water, adequate wastewater disposal and access to sanitary, bathing and laundry facilities, prohibit adverse effects on public health, safety or local amenity, and limit occupancy to the home's design capacity.
and (g) the temporary home must not be permanently attached to any land, building, structure or utility service of the premises; and (h) an adequate source of potable water must be available for all occupants of the temporary home; and (i) adequate wastewater disposal arrangements must be available to ensure reasonable standards of health and hygiene can be maintained; and (j) the temporary home must not adversely affect public health, safety or local amenity; and Page 43 of 60 Toowoomba Regional Council Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2026 6 2546292v1 (k) occupancy of the temporary home must not exceed the design capacity of the temporary home; and (l) occupants of the temporary home must have access to adequate sanitary, bathing and laundry facilities, either within the temporary home or within a permanent dwelling situated on the premises;
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, sections 4(h)–(l)
Open original minutes ↗Where no permanent dwelling exists, the proposed approval criteria would require current development approval for a permanent Class 1a dwelling and use of the temporary home only as interim accommodation pending construction. The criteria would also prohibit payment for occupation and limit occupants to family members or friends of the property owner.
and (m) where no permanent dwelling exists on the premises — the applicant must hold a current development approval for a permanent Class 1a dwelling; and (n) where no permanent dwelling exists on the premises — the temporary home must be intended only as interim accommodation pending the construction of a permanent Class 1a dwelling; and (o) no consideration is paid or payable by any person occupying the temporary home; and (p) occupation of the temporary home must be limited to family members or friends of the owner of the premises.
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, sections 4(m)–(p)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed mandatory approval conditions would require adequate kitchen, bathing, toilet, sleeping, wastewater, refuse, storage and water-supply amenities to be provided and maintained.
5 Conditions that must be imposed on an approval The conditions that must be imposed on an approval are that the approval holder must— (a) ensure that basic amenities required for living, including kitchen facilities, bathing facilities, toilets, sleeping accommodation, wastewater disposal, refuse disposal, storage and water supply, are provided and maintained in an adequate condition;
Attachment 1, Schedule 1, section 5(a)
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Based on the supplied report of Toowoomba Regional Council’s Environment and Community Committee meeting on 10 November 2026. The record’s confirmation status is not stated.
Key facts from the minutes
- The Environment and Community Committee’s recorded recommendation is to consult on a proposed Subordinate Local Law No. 1.3 (Establishment or Occupation of a Temporary Home) 2026, not to make the law finally.
- The proposed no-approval periods are less than two weeks per 52 weeks where no permanent dwelling exists, and less than four weeks where one exists, subject to stated conditions.
- For occupation requiring approval, the proposal would require a minimum 750-square-metre property and limit each property to one temporary home.
- A minimum 31-day public consultation is proposed, followed by a further report to Council.
- For approved occupation, the proposal would set requirements concerning potable water, wastewater, sanitation, refuse, safety, registration, relocatability and neighbourhood amenity.
Why it matters
- The proposal could affect people seeking short-term accommodation in caravans or tiny homes, property owners and nearby residents. It would offer conditional, limited approval-free stays and set separate requirements for approved occupation covering property size, relocatability, water, wastewater, sanitation, safety and neighbourhood amenity.