Council Development Application Approval (DA) / Complying Development Certificate (CDC)

Development Application (DA) /
Complying Development Certification (CDC)

Our team have extensive knowledge of Council requirements. They stay abreast of ever changing legislation to ensure that your project is designed within the guidelines, and with the view to gaining approval for your Development Application (DA) / Complying Development Certificate (CDC).

Once your architectural design is complete and signed off, we submit your DA or CDC package in accordance with the relevant checklists to Council or the Private Certifying Authority (PCA).

Development Application Management & Approvals

The approval process is time consuming, best results are gained from continued contact with the council planner or private certifier. Your Client Information Coordinator follows the progress of your DA or CDC through to gaining approval. All information, instruction or request from Council or PCA is discussed with you, addressed and handled by us, freeing up your valuable time and making the application process hassle free.

Each approved DA from Council will have its own set of conditions in addition to a set of standard requirements. For example you will require the services of a Structural Engineer, however you may also require a Geotechnical Engineer specific to the conditions of your site. You will also need to update your plans to construction certificate drawings to include specific compliance and instruction referencing the Building Code of Australia requirements. There will also be a number of fees to be paid to Council and other governing bodies. Our DA Report identifies all of the items which needs to be adhered to and we can manage the timing and coordination if you choose to work with our Private Certification services.

Complying Development Certificate Approval

A CDC (Complying Development Certificate) is essentially a Development Application and Construction Certificate rolled into one. Rising in popularity, the CDC allows residential developments to be fast tracked by eliminating council’s involvement and potential neighbour objections.

Recent changes to the CDC code has broadened the net for compliance, the categories for a complying development have been expanded through amendments to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008. The rationale behind the amendments is to “reduce red tape”, increasing the number of developments that are code assessed rather than merit assessed.

If your project has been designed as a CDC, a certifying authority needs to be engaged to certify that the design fully complies. Once this assessment is complete, the certifier will provide a check list which outlines the requirements to be met before construction can commence. Similarly to a DA, you will be required to engage the services of certain consultants and pay a set of fees in order to gain the final approval.

Approvals & the Construction Certificate Process

Upon receipt of your DA approval, your Client Information Coordinator prepares a report for you as a complimentary service. Our DA report, extracts from your DA Approval Conditions the items that need to be adhered to before you can commence work on your project. These items will include such things as; any architectural changes deemed necessary by Council, mandatory Council and/or governing body fees, engaging a Certifying Authority and engaging the services of various consultants. The conditions will vary from project to project depending on the particular Council and specifics of your project and property location.

A Construction Certificate is the next step before a builder can commence work. In order to acquire a Construction Certificate (CC), all of the required conditions of your Development Application (DA) approval must be adhered to. Our DA Report forms a check list of these items to work through prior to the final step of engaging a Certifying Authority to obtain your CC.

If your project has been designed as a CDC, a certifying authority needs to be engaged to certify that the design fully complies with the CDC legislation. Once this assessment is complete, the certifier will provide a check list which outlines the requirements to be met before construction can commence. Similarly to a DA, you will be required to engage the services of certain consultants and pay a set of fees in order to gain the final approval.

Architectural Design Package

Our Architectural Design Package fees are fixed and based on the budget estimate for the cost of construction. The project budget estimated by The Site Foreman is an opinion of possible costs only and is in no way intended to be taken as the actual cost of construction. The architectural package fees are based on single residential projects only. Medium density, multi-residential and commercial developments will be quoted individually based on the specifics of the project.

Package Inclusions:

	Acquire concept overview details from TSF Design Consultant
	Conduct online assessment of site conditions
	Brief surveyor, order survey and review final survey document*
	Arrange initial client meeting and obtain client brief
	Site measure existing structures or relevant site features where required
	Photograph site and streetscape
	Review current DCP and LEP’s to ensure compliance with relevant controls
	Obtain sewer diagram
	Obtain Section 149.2.5 certificates if required*
	Provide initial sketch plan design for review and discussion at second meeting
	Amend initial design as per client requirements, approx. 4 rounds of changes ensuring all requirements have been addressed before final sign off
	Instruct and coordinate other consultants engaged by TSF on your behalf as required for DA/ CDC submission*
	Preparation of a BASIX certificate*
	Prepare submission documentation package as per relevant Council/ PCA check lists
	Provide package to client for final sign off before lodgement
	Submit package to council or certifying authority as required

*It should be noted that specialist consultants plans or reports, council generated certificates & lodgement fees or disbursements required to satisfy council/certifier checklists are not included in the TSF fixed architectural design package fee.