Event bookings on public land

If you are planning to use public land for an event, you must apply for a public land permit. Please note that you cannot book or reserve public assets such as barbecues, fixed tables and chairs. For more information see the standard terms and conditions.

Processing timeframes

It is important to allow sufficient time to assess your application. The outcome of an application cannot be predicted and should not be anticipated. In some cases, an event may not be deemed suitable for a particular location and you may need to seek an alternative location.

Processing timeframes may vary depending on the activity or size of the event:

Small events (under 100 people): Please allow at least 28 days for the processing of your application.
Large events or high impact activities (such as car rallies): These events are often more complex and may require additional supporting documentation prior to being assessed. We recommend that event organisers apply up to 6 months in advance.

After submitting your application, you will be contacted if additional supporting documentation is required. Upon completion of stakeholder consultation, you will be advised of the outcome of your application.

There is often a lead time before a decision can be made in relation to the permit proceeding. In some cases, you may need to supply more documentation before we can grant approval.

Once your application is approved you will receive a permit with terms and conditions via email.

Supporting documentation

The following supporting documentation may be required to assess your application:

detailed site map
evidence of public liability insurance coverage
temporary traffic management plan
risk management plan
tree management plan
waste management plan.

If your application is missing the required documentation, you will receive an email within 5 business days to request the additional information. Once you have submitted all the required documentation, your application will be assessed within 28 days (unless additional consultation or approvals are required).

The ACT Government is committed to facilitating the use of public parks and open spaces. To further assist, changes have been made to public liability insurance requirements for small events. See below for further details.

Changes to the requirement for public liability insurance

Under the Public Unleased Land Act 2013, a permit is required to use public land in the ACT when the proposed activity may impact on the amenity or other people's enjoyment of the area.

Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) regulates the use of public unleased land in the ACT and issues land use permits for activities on public land. Some activities may not require a permit, such as small private and recreational activities that are not open to the general public and have a defined number of participants.

Typically, a temporary traffic management (TTM) plan is required when the scale or nature of an activity disrupts traffic, impacts on parking or public safety, and/or has the potential to cause neighbourhood tension by attracting significant traffic to the street (e.g. Christmas light displays).

However, TCCS has the discretion to waive the TTM fees and pay for the development of a TTM plan in some circumstances. For example for not-for-profit community events. TCCS does not recover costs or impose fees on event organisers of protests or marches.

For further information see the TTM plans page.

What’s changed?

The Parliamentary and Governing Agreement of the 10th Legislative Assembly contains a key administrative reform and priority area to:

‘Better support for democratic participation through reducing traffic control costs for protests and extend public liability insurance for small community activities on certain public land.'

Reducing traffic control costs for protests

No changes have been proposed to traffic control costs for protests. As described above, there are already measures in place to address this.

Extend public liability insurance for small community activities

Previously, all activities requiring a land use permit required the applicant to have public liability insurance to the value of $20,000,000 (minimum). This requirement was prohibitive for some community groups and individuals.

In response to the above reform, TCCS reviewed the requirement for permit holders to have public liability insurance. Where a business, commercial entity or incorporated group is involved, those organisations will still require their own appropriate public liability insurance. However, TCCS will extend its public liability insurance to cover some low risk non-commercial or not-for-profit activities for groups that do not have their own standing public liability insurance as listed in the table below, subject to the information provided, a permit being granted, and conditions being met.

For all other activities or requirements not listed in the table, applicants are required to have public liability insurance.

Table 1: Low risk non-commercial or not-for-profit activities for which TCCS may extend its public liability insurance cover. The event must have no more than 75 people attending at any given time, and meet all of the following conditions:

Additional services/infrastructure associated with proposed activity	Conditions
Gate access - vehicle	7 am to 10 pm Monday to Friday, or 9 am to 10 pm Saturday and Sunday Vehicle access limited to 1 vehicle plus trailer. Vehicle/s must be under 4 tonnes. TTMs may be applicable. Vehicles may not be allowed to remain in some parks (i.e. access allowed for transporting event items to the site only). When undertaking an event on irrigated land, care must be taken to avoid areas with irrigation infrastructure, as marked by TCCS.
Gate access - pedestrian	7 am to 10 pm Monday to Friday, or 9 am to 10 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Access to power	7 am to 10 pm Monday to Friday, or 9 am to 10 pm Saturday and Sunday. Nil or temporary low voltage power requirements (i.e. multiple outlets or 3-phase power are not permitted).
Structures For example: Gazebo 3m x 3m (no pegs) Tables and/or chairs Barbecues Festive decorations within designated criteria Marquees (with pegs) Tents (with pegs) Stages	When undertaking an event on irrigated land, care must be taken to avoid areas with irrigation infrastructure, as marked by TCCS. A policy outlining the criteria for festive decorations is available from the ACT Government.
Serving food	Low risk food activity (as per Health Protection Service requirements, such as barbecues, selling pre-packaged foods).
Serving alcohol	Private supply, non-commercial (i.e. BYO).

Further Information

For further information about land use permits, including when and how to apply, what additional documentation may be required (e.g. temporary traffic management plans, a risk management plan, a liquor licence and/or an outdoor dining permit) and associated fees, visit the Public-land use page on the City Services website.

For further assistance please contact TCCS.publiclanduse@act.gov.au or phone 13 22 81.

Fees

Please view the fees and charges page for up-to-date fees for the following services: