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Planning and Development
Approval to carry out building and/or development work
Are you thinking of undertaking some building or development work in the near future? Are plans underway to build that dream home, do renovations or extensions to the existing house, install a swimming pool or subdivide you land. If so, chances are that you will have to seek Council approval before realising those goals.
Why is Council approval necessary? Formal consent is required for two reasons:- Firstly, the community has expectations as to the type of development they would like to see happen in their neighbourhood. Council, acting on behalf of the community, controls the type and extent of development allowable within the constraints of existing strategic plans and policies. The aim is to separate incompatible land-uses.
The second reason for the need to seek formal consent for development relates to ensuring that any proposed building structure is sound. Structural faults or deficiencies can not only be expensive to rectify, but they can also prove to be dangerous to the occupants and neighbours. Building surveyors are required to assess plans to ascertain their compliance with relevant Australian Codes and Standards. In addition, they will undertake inspections at crucial stages of the construction to ascertain correct construction practices and relevance to the original approved plans.
Seeking approval for your proposal need not be difficult and Council recommends that you consult with the Environmental Services Department as early as possible in order to find out what requirements will apply to your project.
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