Renovate Smart: Renovations that need Council Approval.

Are you thinking about renovating or adding onto your home? Renovating a home can be exciting, but it's important to know if you need permits or approvals from the Council before you can start. In this JREY guide, we'll explain the types of renovations that usually need council approval, clear up the approval process, and give you helpful tips for an easy experience.

Approval Types: Building and Planning Approval

There are 2 main Council approval types you may require for any house renovation. These are:

1.     Planning Approval

2.     Building Approval

Planning Approval, can be known as a Council Approval, Development Approval or a Development Permit. Planning approvals are triggered by the Local Planning Scheme. Your project is lodged by a private town planner to your local Council and the local government town planning department will undertake and assessment and issue the Development Approval.

Building Approval, is issued by a private building certifier (not a private town planner). Assessment for building approval is triggered by the Building Codes of Australia and State Development Codes. In this guide we focus on planning permits, please contact your local Council or building certifier for further building approval information.

Renovation Projects Requiring Council Approval

The need for council approval varies between States in Australia and local Council areas.

The common types of home renovations that require Council planning approval include:

• Partial or Minor Demolition of Character Housing (including heritage).

• Renovations to the front of a Pre-war Character House.

• Additions such as a deck, pergola, swimming pool forward of a Character House.

• New building work and additions in a flood overlay or waterway corridor.

• Granny flats and secondary dwellings where not meeting code requirements.

• Swimming pools and Retaining walls where exceeding height requirements.

Renovation Projects Not Requiring Council Approval

Common renovations that generally do not require a planning permit from your local Council include:

• Internal renovations (behind the external wall)

• New kitchens and bathrooms (internal changes only)

• Demolishing and building new stairs

How to know if you need Council Approval

If you are using a local architect, draftsperson or building designer they should have the experience required to understand if your project will require Council approval. If not, your designer or builder should have a consultant that they can refer to for specialist advice.

If you aren’t working with a renovation expert yet, most local Councils have a faqs area and renovation factsheets available free of charge on their websites.

How can I avoid Council Approval?

If you want to avoid Council approval, you should advise your designer, builder and private town planner as soon as possible so they can work together to come up with a plan.

There may be small design changes that can be incorporated into your proposal plans for your house renovation that could remove the need to lodge a development application.

What happens if I don’t obtain the correct Council Approval?

Aside from facing possible Council fines, your building certifier not issuing a building approval, your insurance provider may also refuse to cover damage or injuries that result from your unapproved renovations.

What is the process to obtain development approval for my renovation?

If you are advised that you require a Council approval or planning permit, you will need to go through the following steps:

1. Engage a private town planner to prepare and lodge a development application (please note that you will require proposal plans which are not prepared by a town planner).

2. Pay the relevant Council lodgement fee for the application.

3. The application is assessed by the Council assessment manager. This can take between 1 week and 6 months to occur.

4. Council makes a decision about the application, whether to approve or refuse it.

5. Once you and your project management team review the decision documents and agree to the conditions of development you can move onto the building approval stage of the renovation process.

How long will my approval last for?

When you receive your development approval package there should be a condition or note within the package advising of your approval’s lapse date.

A standard building work approval for a minor renovation will last 2 years.

If you don’t substantially commence or finish the works prior to the lapse date, you will need to either pay to extend the approval currency period (before the deadline) or you will need to reapply for the Council Approval and incur all the same costs as the original application.

Can I make changes to my plans once they are Council Approved?

The short answer is yes, you can change your plans once they are Council approved, however this can be costly and there can be timely delays which can set your renovation project back.