Building a new home or extension? What documents do I need to submit to the council for planning & building permits?
Building your home, extending on your current home, or wanting to place additional outbuildings on your property requires certain permissions. There has been some confusion about how the process works particularly when it comes to the process of submitting applications to the council. There are generally two separate Council Submissions. There are planning permits and building permits and you will need to submit documents to the council in order to gain permission from Council. You may require a planning permit, or you will require confirmation of no permit required (NPR). Before you can begin building works you will also be required to submit documents for a Certificate of Like Compliance (CLC) and a building permit.
Planning
To apply for a planning permit, also known as a development application, you may be required to lodge an application with your local council for both new dwellings, outbuildings, additions, and extensions. There are 4 categories that will determine the outcome of the planning application:
- Permitted – The council will approve the development but can impose conditions it deems necessary to comply with the planning scheme.
- Discretionary- The council may approve or refuse approval and may impose conditions it deems necessary. Additionally, a 14-day advertising period takes place whereby neighbours and/or members of the public can submit representations in support or opposition of the project.
- Prohibited – The Council can refuse the application. The planning application does not comply with the respective planning scheme and therefore planning approval will not be granted. For example, trying to submit a permit for an industrial building in a general residential area would be considered prohibited.
- No permit Required (NPR) – No planning permit is required, indicating the project is exempt from requiring a planning permit and it meets the requirements of the planning scheme.
Which documents are required for the Planning Application?
Complete application form
- Include Applicants details
- Address of proposed project
- A description of the proposed use
- Land Title – You will need to include a Land Title. Find out more about Why Are Land Titles Important and discover the different types of Land Titles and what purpose they serve.
- Schedule of Easements
Drawings to include
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- Site plans – showing orientation, all boundaries, location of buildings & structure, setbacks and boundaries, slope, native vegetation to be removed, onsite services, connection and drainage details (sewer, water & stormwater), cut and/or fill, car parking details & fence details
- Soil and water management control plan
You may be required to submit additional documents, however, this is dependent on whether other reports have been triggered. For example, you may trigger a landslip report if your block of land is in a landslip area. Some of the additional reports you may require are;
- Shadow Diagrams (if you plan to build close to a boundary or outside the building envelope)
- Flora and fauna report
- Landslip Risk Management Assessment (can be completed by a geotechnical engineer)
- Traffic impact assessment
- Onsite wastewater management system
- Bushfire Assessment Report (completed by bushfire assessor to determine Bushfire Attack Level (BAL))
- Business/operations plan
- Site contamination report
- Landscaping plan
- Civil Engineering
- Prime agricultural report
Building Permit & Plumbing Permits
If you are looking to carry out building works you may be required to obtain a building and/or a plumbing permit from the permit authority along with several inspections which are required during construction.
Certificate of Likely Compliance (CLC)
A qualified building surveyor will be able to issue you a certificate of likely compliance. This certifies that your proposed building works will likely comply with the building regulations as set out by the National Construction Code (NCC). The plans and certificates are assessed to ensure all work complies. This certificate is also applicable for demolition work.
Application for Building permit
First, complete the building permit application form along with the applicable supporting documentation. The application will be assessed by your local council whereby, the application will be either approved or require further information and/or amendments. If the building permit is approved, the building work must commence within 12 months of when the permit was issued, or the permit becomes invalid. The building work must also be completed within 24 months of the date of issue. In cases whereby a permit is required for a longer period, an application can be submitted for an extension a minimum of five days prior to the permit expiry date. If any building work is undertaken without the required permits there is a process to have this made compliant. In this case, you may be required to engage appropriate professionals to document and sign off on the work that has been completed such as a building surveyor or structural engineer. It is important to note that remedial works may be required to bring the works constructed without permits up to the current standards.
Application for Plumbing Permit
Prior to any plumbing work commencing on the property, a plumbing application with detailed plans including the applicable documents are required to be submitted to your local council which must be approved before plumbing work commences.
Once construction commences there are several other inspections that are required at certain points of construction which are required to be signed off on before progressing further on the build. Find out What Building Inspections are required during the building process and in particular the role of the building surveyor during the building process.
If you feel this is a lot of work, you don’t need to worry about Prime Design we can act as your agent and assist you through the process. Prime Design offers services where we collate all the documentation you need to submit to the council for planning and building. We liaise with your local council and gather further information if it’s required and engage with sub-consultants when it is required. Our Sketch to Permit Process provides an easy visual representation of the process and a rough guide, these will vary depending on the complexity of each individual project and demand on the local council you are submitting applications to.