Accommodation approval - Douglas Shire Council - Queensland

Description

You will need this approval to establish an accommodation business and either intend for your guests to share facilities or to offer short-term accommodation.

Shared facility accommodation refers to guests sharing one or more of the following facilities:

  • dormitories or bedrooms
  • toilets
  • bathrooms, showers or other bathing facilities
  • laundries
  • dining facilities
  • cooking facilities
  • recreation facilities.

Short-term accommodation allows guests to stay for less than a specified period of time, which can change depending on where your business is located. Examples of short-term accommodation business can include:

  • hotels
  • motels
  • motor inns
  • backpacker hostels
  • bed and breakfasts
  • retirement villages or institutions that are not subject to government funding programs.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Exemptions

You will not require this approval if you intend on establishing either a:

  • hospital, nursing home, or other institution where people are cared for on a live-in basis
  • residential college or boarding school
  • religious institution
  • community titles scheme
  • accommodation administered under the residential services legislation
  • private home in which you provide accommodation for no more than three boarders
  • premises that local law policies exclude from licensing requirements.

Eligibility requirements

You may also need to obtain development approval if you are conducting the following activities:

  • starting a new accommodation business
  • changing the existing activity (e.g. from private residence to rental accommodation)
  • re-establishing accommodation that was abandoned
  • changing the intensity of the accommodation (e.g. adding extra rooms)
  • carrying out building work
  • carrying out plumbing or drainage work.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

Your approval may be issued with conditions that require you to:

  • limit the number of persons in the premises (or in a particular part of the premises) for whom you may provide accommodation
  • carry out modifications or other building work related to the premises within a certain period
  • regularly maintain the premises
  • provide and maintain facilities, furniture and equipment
  • regularly clean the premises
  • regularly provide clean linen and towels, if relevant to your accommodation
  • provide services of specific kinds for the persons using your accommodation
  • reside or have a council-approved representative reside on the premises
  • keep specified records.

If your accommodation business includes a swimming pool, it must meet the requirements of the Queensland Development Code.

Act(s) name

Local Government Act 2009 Queensland

Application process

Apply

You will need to include the following items with your application:

  • a plan of the premises
  • details of any shared accommodation facilities
  • other information and materials required by council.

Administering agency

Douglas Shire Council

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.

Please use these contact details for help or more information:

Douglas Shire Council
Operating address: 64-66 Front Street
Mossman, Queensland 4873
Mailing address: PO Box 723
Mossman, Queensland 4873
Phone: 07 4099 9444
Email: enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au
Website: Douglas Shire Council (Opens in new window)