Know Your Council - Know Your Council WA

BUILDING AND PLANNING

Planning controls are set by both State and Local Government in order to manage development and ensure that it does not unreasonably cause harm to neighbours or the environment.
In considering subdivision and development proposals, Councils will assess applications against the priorities and intentions of the State and Local Government Strategic Planning Documents.
Requirements for individual planning applications ensure the necessary information is provided to enable Councils to assess the proposal.
The planning system allows exemptions to certain forms of development, enabling such development to be undertaken without the need for planning approval.

The overwhelming majority of planning applications that are determined by Local Government are done so well within the prescribed timeframes of 90 days if advertising is required for a development application, or 60 days if not.
Delays are mostly the result of applications being incomplete, incorrect or missing information.
Sometimes applications may also need to be referred to a State Government agency for comment, which can also delay the process.
To ensure an application is dealt without delay, applicants should check that all the required and relevant information has been provided with an application by checking with the relevant Council early in the process.

In WA the building approvals process is legislated under the Building Act 2011 which works with other key legislation covering the registration of building service providers and complaint resolution.
However, other approvals may be required in order to commence building work such as planning, health and any other approvals required under other written laws.
Applications for building, demolition or occupancy permits or for building approval certificates can be submitted in a variety of ways.
Under the Building Act, Councils acting as a permit authority have a fixed amount of time in which to either grant or refuse a permit application.

Most applications are dealt with well within the maximum time of 10 business days for a certified application and 25 days for uncertified applications.
Delays can occur when information needed to assess an application is missing.
Councils can request missing information and in so doing put the application on hold until that information is received.
Once the missing information has been provided by the applicant, the Council has what is left of the 10 or 25 business days to determine the application.
For advice on approval requirements for building, please contact your Council or click here to take a look at the Building Commission’s information pack.