What needs approval?

The Development Act requires that no development can be undertaken unless it has the approval of the relevant authority, which in most cases is your local council. This means that any construction, alteration, addition to or demolition of a building or structure, a change in that current use of land or anything that modifies a designated heritage item constitutes development as defined in the act and therefore requires formal development approval.

Certain minor activities or building work are excluded by regulation from this definition and are thereby exempt from the need to seek approval. Separate information sheets have been prepared by us to help explain what kinds of minor development do not require approval. In these instances you should always clarify the position. It is pointed out, however, that the scope for these exemptions is quite limited and you should normally expect that an application will be necessary.For more information on what needs approval, how to lodge an application and what then happens to your application, take a look at our development application brochure.

Payment of fees owing for a development application