Construction Space: Let’s Talk About Building And Contractors

Posted on: 17 January 2019

Are you getting ready to embark on a subdivision development project? Depending on the location of your site, this can be one of the toughest projects to undertake. But if you know the steps involved in the planning process, your project will go smoothly.

With that said, take a look at these three types of approvals you may need to obtain before commencing the project.

Development Plan Consent

Have you ever wondered why town planning is done? Local councils across Australia regulate how the land within their jurisdictions is to be used. This is essential to ensuring sustainable growth and development of their areas.

Industrial activities, for example, are usually prohibited near residential areas because of the potential impact on human health and quality of life. Before you start any construction activities on your land, you'll need to first find out if what you intend to build conforms to or contravenes applicable development regulations. 

If your activity isn't permitted, you'll need to obtain consent for your development plan before you can carry out the activity. 

Subdivision/Land Division Consent 

Once you have established that your activity is permitted or have obtained consent for your development plan, the next step is to seek approval to subdivide your land. This type of development approval is called a subdivision or land-division consent. It essentially involves dividing a large piece of land into smaller pieces, creating new titles for development or sale. 

All subdivisions on a piece of land require consent from the local council. Each piece of subdivided land must be used for the purpose consent was given for.

Building Consent

Before you can break ground on your construction site, you'll need to obtain building approval from your local council. The local building department will review your building plans to determine whether or not the proposed building complies with relevant building codes and regulations. For instance, they'll need to be satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that the structure will be structurally sound if the proposed project fulfills all technical requirements of the building codes and regulations. Building surveyors at the local councils are responsible for assessing the building consent application against the applicable building codes and regulations.

Why do you need all three types of consent for your subdivision development? Different types of consent are required because different professionals are involved in assessing different aspects of the development project. Consulting these professionals at every stage of the planning process is vital for getting the approvals you need.