Planning zones control how land can be used and developed across Australia. In Landchecker, you can check planning zones for any property nationally, covering Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
This article shows you three different ways to view planning zone information in Landchecker.
What are planning zones?
Planning zones are categories assigned to land parcels that determine permitted uses such as residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural development. Each state and territory has its own zoning system with specific codes and requirements.
Method 1: View zones in the property information panel
The quickest way to check a property's planning zone is through the property information panel.
Follow these steps:
Navigate to the Landchecker map using the address search bar at the top of the screen.
Enter the property address or click directly on the property boundary on the map.
The property information panel opens on the right-hand side of your screen.
Scroll down to the Planning Information section within this panel.
The planning zone(s) affecting the property are listed here, including the zone code and name (for example, General Residential Zone or Commercial 1 Zone).
Click on the blue hyperlinked zone name to access the relevant planning scheme schedules directly from the state or local government planning authority.
This method shows all zones that apply to the selected property, including any split zoning where multiple zones affect different parts of the same parcel.
Method 2: Activate planning zones on the map
You can visualise planning zones across entire suburbs or municipalities by activating the planning zones layer on the map.
Follow these steps:
Navigate to the Landchecker map and zoom to your area of interest.
Open the Planning Layers menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
Scroll down and tick the checkbox next to Planning Zones.
Coloured zone boundaries now display on the map, showing different planning zones across the area.
Click on any property within a coloured zone boundary to open the property information panel on the right-hand side.
The specific planning zone details for that property appear in the Planning Information section, including direct links to the relevant planning scheme.
You can also use the filters within the Planning Layers menu to show or hide specific zone types, making it easier to identify properties within particular zoning categories across large areas.
Method 3: Download a property report
Property reports provide a comprehensive summary of planning information, including planning zones, in a downloadable PDF format.
Follow these steps:
Search for the property address on the Landchecker map.
In the property information panel on the right-hand side, locate the Property Report section.
Click View Report on the right-hand side info panel.
The property report includes a full summary of planning zones affecting the property, along with other planning controls such as overlays, heritage listings, and recent planning scheme amendments.
You can customise which sections to include in your report before downloading.
Download the report as a PDF to save, print, or share with clients and team members.
All property reports from Landchecker include planning zone information, making them useful for due diligence, property assessments, and client presentations.
Understanding split zoning
Some properties have more than one planning zone applied to different portions of the land. This is called split zoning. When viewing split-zoned properties in Landchecker:
All applicable zones are listed in the property information panel
The map view shows the boundary lines between different zones on the same property
Planning reports include details of all zones affecting the property
Split zoning may affect what can be developed on different parts of the same land parcel, so it's important to check the specific requirements for each zone.
Planning zone coverage
Landchecker provides planning zone data for properties across all Australian states and territories:
Victoria (VIC): Residential, commercial, industrial, rural, and special use zones
New South Wales (NSW): Land use zones including residential, business, industrial, and environmental zones
Queensland (QLD): Zone categories from the state planning policy
South Australia (SA): Zones from the Planning and Design Code
Western Australia (WA): Zoning information from local planning schemes
Tasmania (TAS): Zone and code information from the Tasmanian Planning Scheme
Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Territory plan zones
Zone codes, names, and requirements vary between states and territories. Always refer to the specific planning scheme links provided in Landchecker for detailed information about permitted uses and development requirements.