Booklet One I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Practical information that will help you put your development application together and gain an understanding of the process Go! This Booklet is one of a series of information guides that the City of Burnside has created to help anyone who’s seeking the go-ahead for a development project. Each Booklet deals with a specific application type. If you need a Booklet on another type of application, you can visit our website at www.burnside.sa.gov.au to view and download other Booklets in the series or contact the Development & Policy Department on 08 8366 4244 and we’ll be happy to post one out to you. Before you go any further, please make sure that you’ve read a copy of “Making Plans”, our overall guide to developing in Burnside. “Making Plans” will give you a broad view on the City’s development procedures, and should help set in context the reasons why we follow this process as we manage and nurture the future development of Burnside. If you’ve not had the chance to read “Making Plans”, you can download a copy from our website or call us on 08 8366 4244 – we’ll be pleased to pop one in the post. You need to be aware that while this Booklet contains a great deal of information, it isn’t a comprehensive guide to helping you complete your application, and it’s also worth bearing in mind that every proposal is unique and different. Depending on the kind of development you’re planning, you may therefore need to consider: Reviewing the Burnside Development Plan Appointing a professional advisor Attending one of our regular Development Clinics Talking to one of our Council Development Officers You can obtain further information on these potential steps from the “Making Plans” booklet – or you’re welcome to call us on 08 8366 4244 if you need further help. The Big Picture As you’ll have seen from “Making Plans”, every proposed development that requires approval must be submitted to the Council for consideration. All applications are then assessed against the guidelines contained within the Burnside Development Plan and the Building Code of Australia. The Building Code of Australia (“the BCA”) encompasses four primary elements: Fire and life safety Structural adequacy Health and Amenity The Development Plan is a statutory or legally binding planning document which sets out the guidelines for development in each Council area. The objective of the Development Plan is to make sure that new houses: Enhance the appearance and character of residential areas Enhance the environmental and visual qualities of residential areas Maintain privacy, security and amenity for residents and neighbours Respect the living and working conditions of nearby residents and businesses Promote better design There are three major parts to the Burnside Development Plan: A “Council-Wide” section applying to all development throughout the City of Burnside Various “Zones and Policy Areas” which allow certain types of development while excluding others A set of maps that show allotment boundaries and the location of the different zones and policy areas The Council-Wide and Zone sections of the Development Plan each contain Objectives and Principles of Development Control which represent Council’s planning guidelines. 2 Energy efficiency You can review the Burnside Development Plan by visiting our website at www.burnside.sa.gov.au or alternatively, we can post you a copy of the relevant Policy Area, Zone and Council Wide provisions of the Development Plan that are applicable to your site, or contact Council about assistance with the BCA. Before you can construct your new house, you will require planning and building consent. You can do this as two separate applications or you can lodge one single application for both consents. When we receive your application, it will be considered within the context of our guidelines and overall objectives, and, where appropriate, we’ll also take your neighbours’ views into consideration. There can also be circumstances in which some applications are subject to more extensive public notification. Each application will be initially assessed by one of our Development Officers, and they may require more information from you to process your plan – in which case they will contact you. How long will the process take? That’s a difficult question to answer because every proposal is unique, but the majority of applications that are assessed by our team are processed between eight and twelve weeks of receipt, and this generally includes the time for any public consultation and referrals that may be required. We’ll endeavour to process your application as quickly as possible. To help expedite the process, consider lodging your building application with Council at the same time as the planning application and we can assess them concurrently. I want to... Build a new house in Burnside I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Within the context of the City’s Development Plan, this is how we make an overall assessment of an application to build a new house in Burnside: Overshadowing Energy Efficiency Stormwater Management Will your proposed house enhance the appearance, character and visual qualities of the area? Landscaping Will it maintain the privacy and amenity for residents and your neighbours? Health & Amenity Does it promote variety in the type of housing to suit the different needs of people? Structural Adequacy Fire & Life Safety Does it respect the living and working conditions of nearby residents and businesses? You can find out more about how we assess applications against each of these criteria in this Booklet. Does it promote better building design and energy efficiency? Don’t forget two further important points: Will your proposed house be environmentally sustainable? Will your proposed house retain and protect significant trees on the site? We’ll also assess how your application matches a broad range of other criteria, including: Building Appearance Positioning On A Block – Front, Side & Rear Setbacks Site Coverage The guidelines for new houses vary depending on the zoning of your property and the policy area it sits within. To find out which Zone and Policy Area your property is located in, you’ll need to refer to the maps in the Burnside Development Plan. And… No two applications are ever identical, so we can’t provide a formula that will guarantee success. We are here, however, to provide positive and practical support to guide you and where appropriate your advisors through the application process and give you feedback and advice when you ask for it. Building Height Car Parking & Driveways Location of Garages Private Open Space Overlooking 3 Getting Into Detail Let’s look in more detail at some of the criteria that we apply when we assess each application to build a new house in Burnside. In general, this Booklet relates to the construction of a new house within a Residential Zone. For the construction of new houses in the Hills Face Zone or Watercourse Zone, which are different to the Residential Zone, please refer to the “I Want To…. Build A New House In The Hills Face/Watercourse Zone” Booklet and if your new house is within the Historic (Conservation) Zone, please refer to “I Want To…. Develop A Heritage Property”. If your new house impacts on or requires the removal of a protected or significant tree, please refer to “I Want To…. Prune/Remove A Significant Tree” Building Appearance As you’ll have seen in “Making Plans”, we’re keen in Burnside to make sure that new houses complement the positive features of the neighbourhood and those of existing adjoining properties. We want to nurture the special qualities that give the city its desirable character in a way that respects the old and reflects the new – in other words, we’re looking to make sure that we safeguard those things that make Burnside unique. 4 In general terms, your planned new house will complement the existing neighbourhood if you consider and incorporate the following elements of the area into your design: Does your planned new house complement the size and shape of other houses in the street, including roof forms and verandahs? Does it complement the way in which space around and between the existing buildings has been laid out – in other words, its positioning on the block? Does it complement the, scale and bulk of other houses in the street? Do your proposed building materials, including their colour and texture, complement those that have already been used in other houses? Does your planned garage and/or carport complement those of other houses in the neighbourhood? Do your plans for your landscaping and trees complement those that already exist in the street? Do your plans affect a protected or Significant tree? I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Front Setbacks Side Setbacks One aspect of what makes an attractive streetscape is the way in which homes are positioned on their blocks. Most communities want consistent positioning, with some space between the boundary and the front of the house – called the front setback - to allow for landscaping, provide space for on-site car parking, and help reduce traffic noise levels. Side setbacks, which are positioned from the side boundary of the block to the house, allow for adequate daylight to side windows. They also help to minimise overshadowing of neighbouring properties and create an attractive sense of space between houses. Front setback distances vary across the Burnside Council area, reflecting the character, age and original building style of each neighbourhood. However, most houses should be set back at least 6 metres from the front boundary, including the eaves, porches and verandahs, and 3 metres from a secondary street if the house is on a corner site. Shorter setbacks may be appropriate where the existing houses either side are set back less than 6 metres. Some other parts of the Council area have varying front setback distances, so you should refer to the Development Plan to determine the actual permissible front setbacks. 5m 6m 7m EXISTING DWELLING Some specific rules apply to side setbacks: Single storey houses should be set back at least 1.5 metres from side boundaries Single storey houses with a wall height greater than 3 metres and/or a finished floor level higher than 1.5 metres above ground level should be set back at least 2 metres from side boundaries The upper levels of two storey houses should be set back at least 4 metres from side boundaries Where two storey houses have a wall height greater than 6 metres, they should be set back at least 4 metres plus a distance equivalent of the height that exceeds 6 metres, so for example a two storey house with 8 metre high walls needs to have a side setback of at least 6 metres In some instances, it’s possible to locate a portion of a house on a boundary (usually the garage or carport) provided that the portion of the house on the boundary is a maximum of 3 metres high and 8 metres long. Generally, this is acceptable when the patterns of space between buildings in the street are maintained NEW DWELLING EXISTING DWELLING Siting of new dwellings in an existing streetscape. 2m 1.5m 4m With windows 2m Without windows 2m 4m 1.5m 2m Ground and upper level 5 Rear Setbacks Building Height Like side setbacks, rear setbacks allow for adequate daylight to windows and they help to minimise overshadowing of neighbouring properties. They also provide room for private open space and create an attractive sense of space between houses. We apply restrictions to the height (which we define as the vertical distance from ground level to the highest point of the roof) of proposed new houses. The rules applying to rear setbacks include: Single storey houses should be set back at least 4 metres from the rear boundary Single storey houses with a wall height greater than 3 metres and/or a finished floor level higher than 1.5 metres above ground level should be set back at least 8 metres from the rear boundary The upper levels of two storey houses should be set back at least 8 metres from the rear boundary (provided that the floor level is no higher than 1.5 metres above ground level) Single storey or two storey houses with a floor level greater than 1.5 metres above ground level should be set back at least 8 metres from the rear boundary Min 8m Rear fence Min 4m Ground and upper level setbacks from rear boundaries 6 We do this to make sure that there is some consistency in the height of houses within an area. This helps to safeguard the visual form of a neighbourhood, and it also helps to reduce overshadowing and the potential for overlooking of other houses nearby. After all, you wouldn’t want to be overlooked by someone else’s home either. The height of new houses is primarily determined by the provisions of the Development Plan that relate to the particular Policy Area. In general terms, new houses should not be greater than two storeys or nine metres in height; however, this is significantly dependant on the existing character of a particular area. For example, if the majority of buildings in a particular area are one storey in height, but you wish to construct a two storey house, the height of the new house must be sympathetic to that of the existing buildings. There are techniques that can be used to achieve this including reducing the overall height of the building, incorporating the upper level within a roof space, setting the upper level of the building further back from the front boundary or setting the entire building back behind the alignment of the neighbouring properties. It’s also worth noting that new houses in Residential Policy Areas 1, 3, 5, 13, and 18 are limited to one storey, but these may include a second storey where it can be contained within the roof space. Please refer to the specific Policy Area provisions of the Development Plan. I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Site Coverage Car Parking & Driveways We’ll assess your plan to build a new house in terms of its proposed site coverage – in other words, the area of the block that you intend to cover with buildings. Your proposed new house plan should include adequate on-site car parking to meet the needs of you and your visitors. We ask for this because it helps to help reduce disturbance to nearby properties caused by on street parking, and it also assists in the free flow of traffic on our roads. We want you to manage your site coverage to make sure that you’ve provided adequate space for outdoor recreation, that you’re helping to preserve the character of your area and that the amount of stormwater runoff is minimised. Our definition of site coverage includes garages, carports and sheds, but it doesn’t include verandahs, pergolas and garden structures, including shade houses and gazebos. Your plans therefore need to provide for at least two car parking spaces, with an additional car parking space where a house has five bedrooms or more. There are also some specific conditions that apply to your proposed design for your driveway. These include: Depending on the type of house you’re proposing to build, one of three guidelines for site coverage will apply. Your site coverage is limited to: Your driveway should have a maximum gradient of 1:5 A maximum ground floor area of 40% of the site Your proposed driveway shouldn’t be located within 1.5 metres of a street tree or any tree that you’re going to retain on the site A maximum ground floor area and impervious driveways/car parking spaces of 50% of the site area A maximum floor area of 50% of the site for two storey houses Your proposed driveway should also have a maximum width of 5 metres and be narrowed to 4.5 metres at the road boundary to allow for more landscaping in the front yard The maximum site coverage guideline for houses varies in some parts of the Burnside Council and reference should be made to the Development Plan to determine the actual maximum permissible site coverage. 3m 4.5m Max Road Pavement Tree 1m 1.5m Road Pavement Side Entry Pit 7 Garages Private Open Space If your proposal for a new house includes an associated garage or a carport, this component needs be put together in a way that makes sure that the carport or garage doesn’t visually dominate the street. This assessment applies to both the design of the building and the way in which it is set back on the block. We want to make sure that home designs planned for Burnside include sufficient private open space for relaxation, children’s play, dining, entertainment and storage. Garages and carports shouldn’t exceed one-third of the width of the block, and they should also be designed to complement your proposed house design in terms of the materials used, size and location. Garages and carports as part of a new dwelling should generally be set back a minimum 0.5 metres behind the main face of the house. Alternatively, they may sit in line with the main face of the house if there is a verandah, portico or other house feature that projects further forward. For garage and carports on corner blocks facing the secondary street, they should be set back one metre for single width and two metres for double width structures. Garages and Carports facing rear laneways should be set back by one metre. We define “private open space” as the outdoor areas that are screened from public areas or nearby homes, have access to sunlight and are directly accessible from a living area in the house. An area equivalent to at least half the total floor area of the proposed house design should be set aside for private open space. There are also two specific conditions that apply to your proposed design for your private open space. These are as follows: Your space should include at least one area capable of containing a rectangle of at least 5 metres by 8 metres. It’s also worth noting that slightly smaller proportions of 4 metres by 6 metres apply in Residential Policy Areas 1, 2, 3, 5, 18, 19 and 23 Any dimension to your planned space mustn’t be any shorter than 2.5 metres Garage location creates private courtyard area - drive through for access. Private outdoor living area with sunny aspect. Garage location and design to enhance streetscape and building appearance. Living area with views to private open space and to street 8 Direct relationship between indoor and outdoor living zones. I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Overlooking When you submit an application to build a new house, we’ll assess whether the design enables clear views from balconies, terraces, decks and second storey windows into the private open space and windows of neighbouring houses. Existing dwelling 15m We call this ‘overlooking’, and some overlooking – although not all – can be considered unreasonable. 15m 15m Where there is the potential for an unreasonable amount of overlooking towards an adjoining property, you may be able to address this within your plans by: balcony New dwelling Existing dwelling Constructing a solid screen, lattice screen or installing taller fencing; Existing private open space Planting evergreen screen landscaping; Providing frosted glass to windows up to 1.6m in height; and/or 15m Having windowsills at least 1.6m high 15m 15m balcony New dwelling 1.6m Private open space New dwelling 15m Existing dwelling High level window sills to minimise overlooking. 1.6m Private open space 15m New dwelling Existing dwelling Opaque glazing to minimise overlooking. 9 Overshadowing Energy Efficiency New houses, particularly two storey homes located near boundaries often overshadow adjoining properties, particularly during the winter months when the sun is lower in the sky. Energy efficient building design and construction helps to reduce your consumption of non-renewable natural resources, limits your greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately helps to lower the cost of running your home. Our focus on the promotion of energy efficient development may involve modification of traditional design and building practices. This can be a concern if the private open space or windows to living areas of these adjoining properties are cast in shadow for long periods of time. You’ll therefore need to check with your designer that the plan for your new house doesn’t cause unreasonable overshadowing. We measure this by ensuring that your design allows for: At least three hours of sunlight to windows to north-facing habitable rooms of an adjoining house between 9 am and 5 pm on 21 June (which is the winter solstice, when the sun is at its lowest point in the horizon) At least two hours of sunlight to at least 50% of the main outdoor living areas of an adjoining house between 9 am and 5 pm on 21 June We’re therefore keen to see plans for new houses in which: The main living areas and windows of a house, together with deciduous trees, pergolas, eaves, verandahs and awnings face north Appropriately located, sized and shaded windows and glass doors are incorporated to reduce summer heat load and permit entry of winter sun The location of carports, verandahs, pergolas and awnings are located along the western side of your house – again, to provide protection to windows from the hot afternoon sun Solar systems have been incorporated for the heating of water and living areas 9am 12noon 3pm Thermally stable materials and insulation are utilised to reduce the need for heating and cooling N Landscaping and structures are designed to manage the microclimate of the dwelling and reduce energy consumption Overshadowing at 9am, 12noon and 3pm on June 21. Southern boundary of secluded private open space N Approximate angle of sun at equinox 10 I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Here are some techniques that you should consider incorporating into the design of your house: Houses should be sited and designed to provide adequate thermal comfort for occupants while minimising the need for mechanical heating and cooling, by: The City of Burnside through its Strategic Plan, Vision 2020 encourages people to consider meeting an energy efficiency level 2 stars greater than the Building Code and we suggest you consider proposing this to your energy consultant. Protection from summer sun Incorporating external openable windows and doors fitted with draught control devices Solar collector Attic space facing south Fan for air movement Cross Ventilation Designing living areas to be capable of being closed off from other areas of the dwelling to allow sufficient heating and cooling Winter sun admitted Insulation Providing opportunities to vary thermal conditions through movement of air between rooms The orientation and pitch of roofs should enable the efficient use of solar collectors and photovoltaic cells Deciduous trees provide shading in summer, allowing solar heat gain in winter Low windows facing east and west to avoid uncontrolled heat intake External clothes drying areas with access to sunlight and breezes should be provided Solar hot water system Shading devices on north facing windows 5.5 star rating low energy appliances Appliances and fuel sources should be selected to minimise energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions During the assessment of your building application, you will be required to meet the minimum requirement for energy efficiency set in the Building Code of Australia. To meet these requirements, a certificate, produced by a qualified energy efficiency consultant, should be submitted which indicates that the building meets a minimum rating of 5 stars. Private outdoor space Living areas facing north for maximum use of solar radiation Passive solar control by pergolas and deciduous vines High levels of wall and ceiling insulation area in permanent shade - no glazing Winter Summer Protection of north-facing windows Summer Winter 11 Stormwater Management Like energy conservation, careful consumption of our limited water resources makes sound environmental and economic sense. For this reason, the City of Burnside is committed to a Water Conservation Strategy, which is calculated to reduce the City’s water consumption by 25% by the year 2020 (based on 1999 levels). Limiting the rate and volume of stormwater run-off from residential sites helps to reduce flooding downstream and during periods of water shortage, enables the reuse of this precious resource. We’re therefore keen to see plans for new houses that feature one of the following options: Rainwater is collected from the roof into a rainwater tank, with excess water directed to the Council’s stormwater system An in-ground soakage pit or sump that has been designed to receive stormwater ‘Soft’ landscaped areas that are designed to absorb runoff For new houses, there is a requirement that a 1,000 litre rainwater tank is installed. This needs to be plumbed into the laundry and toilet facilities of the house. You can play your part by incorporating the following features during your design and building phases: Insulating hot water pipes (this avoids wasting water and power while waiting for hot water to flow through) Fitting low-flow water regulators (e.g. aerators) on kitchen and bathroom taps Installing a water efficient showerhead Installing a dual flush toilet/s (waterless toilet systems are also available) Purchasing water efficient appliances (e.g. front loading washing machines) Keeping areas of lawn to a minimum and planting drought-resistant species Selecting appropriate native and exotic species of trees, shrubs and groundcovers, bearing in mind their water requirements, height and spread, colour, productive capacity and influence on the thermal characteristics of the house Locating and grouping plants with similar watering needs to reduce water use Setting up an irrigation system to minimise water wastage Maximising water retention within gardens by directing run-off from hard impervious areas and water tanks to vegetation Minimising the area of land covered by impervious materials such as concrete or paving blocks Using alternative materials to concrete or paving blocks such as permeable pavers 12 I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Landscaping Landscaping is a very important aspect of the overall site design as it can contribute significantly to streetscape character as well as improving site amenity. New house development should incorporate appropriate landscaping which should be designed to: Retain existing protected or significant trees on site and remnant vegetation where possible Ensure that retained significant trees are protected and not damaged during construction Assist in visual enhancement of the house and its locality. Promote optimal micro-climate conditions in and around the house (for example, by use of deciduous plants to allow penetration of heat from the sun in winter, and provide shade in summer) Screen, shade and enhance the appearance of car parking areas Promote conservation of water and biodiversity The selection of plant species should, where appropriate, include: Species indigenous to the local area, or others which will reinforce a sense of place Trees in scale with houses on the land Taller tree species in areas where such trees are absent or scarce If your landscape scheme includes the retention of one or more regulated or significant trees, you will need to ensure that your new house is sited an appropriate distance from the tree, so that the building does not damage the tree or its root system. Council’s Development Officers will provide guidance in relation to appropriate distances and management techniques that you can use to safeguard the trees during construction of your new home. 13 The Final Product After taking into consideration all of these requirements, your development application should be ready to be submitted to Council. Streetscape Elevation N NEW DWELLING EXISTING DWELLING EXISTING DWELLING 7m Site plan 5m 14 6m I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Taking The Next Steps Please make sure that you’ve read and, where you need to, have taken action over the key points highlighted within our planning guide booklet “Making Plans”. Once you’re happy that your plans are ready to be submitted, you’ll then need to complete and return a Development Application Form. These are available from the Council, or you can download a copy from our website at www.burnside.sa.gov.au You can apply for both Planning and Building Consent in a single application or apply only for Planning Consent. For Planning Consent, we’ll require a completed Development Application Form submitted with three copies of the following documents: Current Certificate of Title for the Block This is to ensure that we aware of any easements or encumbrances on the allotment that may affect your development. A Site Plan A site plan is a map of how the house sits on the block, and should be drawn to a scale of at least 1:500 (recommended scale 1:200 – generally A3 size) and should include the following information: The dimensions of the block and its area The location of any existing buildings on the site, indicating whether they will be demolished and/or retained The location of existing buildings on adjoining properties, indicating their distance to property boundaries The position of the proposed house and any other proposed buildings or structures (sheds, verandahs etc.) on the site, showing distances to all boundaries The existing contours of the land, together with the finished floor levels of the proposed house in relation to the adjoining street, the location and value of the sites temporary bench mark (TBM) and the details of any cut and/or fill proposed The position of any protected or Significant trees on the site or on a neighbour’s land, indicating whether they will be removed or retained The position of existing and proposed landscaping, including proposed trees, shrubs and groundcovers to be planted (i.e. a landscaping schedule) The location and detail of any proposed retaining walls The method of site drainage and stormwater disposal The vehicle driveway points from roads onto the site The on site car parking spaces for occupants and visitors and the location of any driveways and the method of surfacing The location of existing street trees, poles, signs and/ or bus stops adjacent to the site The type, height and construction of any boundary and internal fencing that may be erected including any retaining walls 15 Site Analysis Plan The site analysis plan is different to the site plan as it details the key elements of not only the site but also highlights other features outside the site. These features could include, amongst others; the location and height of adjacent buildings; existing vegetation including any protected or Significant trees; the contours; natural drainage lines; services connections; the location of street trees; stobie poles and crossovers in the road; reserves; prevailing wind patterns; type, height and condition of boundary fences; significant views and site viewpoints; significant views by neighbours; external major noise sources (e.g. air conditioning); and so on. A Proposed dwelling N B Existing garage 2 1 Secluded private open space 2 Public transport 200m 6 1 8 3 School 500m 5 4 Garden shed 5 Carport 6 Two-story dwelling A 7 Single-story dwelling 1 4 8 Swimming pool (or other external active recreation area) B 4 1 7 3 Existing trees to be retained Vehicular site entry Neighbourhood windows facing site Views (e.g.to hills or city skyline) Noise (e.g.from pool area) 16 Prevailing winds Contours I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Floor Plan The floor plan shows the layout of your house, and should be drawn to a scale of at least 1:100 and include the layout of each floor level of the house and all proposed rooms and their intended use. Elevation Plan The elevation plan details what the house will look like from all sides, and should be drawn to a scale of at least 1:100 and include the following information: to be undertaken to protect the long term health of the tree; in terms of both the design of the building, including footings, as well as the protection of the tree during the construction phase. If you are lodging an application for both planning and building consent, in addition to the above, we will require the following information to be submitted to ensure a complete assessment is undertaken: Final Working Drawings Three copies of each must be provided, including: Elevations of each side of the proposed house to be built (front, side and rear views) The height of the proposed house (relative to natural ground level) to both the eave overhang and the ridge (top of roof) The dimensions of proposed doors, windows and eave overhangs The roof slope and design The proposed building materials, finishes and colours to be used on all external surfaces (walls, roof, doors, windows etc) Streetscape Elevation The streetscape elevation details what the house will look like from the street and gives a clear indication of how the new house relates to the adjoining buildings in the street Energy Efficiency Statement This is a statement of the range of techniques used in the design of the house and site, to promote energy efficiency. The statement should include details of the orientation of the house, the nature and location of landscaping, details of window shading and thermal insulation used. Arborist’s Report If you have a protected or Significant tree located within your site, and your new house impacts the tree, you will need to submit a report from a qualified Arborist outlining what measures need Floor plan, Site plan, Elevations, Sections, Other relevant details General Specifications / Manufacturers Details Documentation must outline the specifications of materials and standards of workmanship meeting the requirements of the SA Housing Code or the BCA. Wet Area Specifications Wet area specifications must be provided for all toilets and wet areas, and must show details including water proofing of walls, floors and wall-floor junctions, grades of floors to traps and shower set downs. Energy Efficiency Assessment Any new dwelling must be assessed to determine its rating according to the nationwide five star energy rating scheme. This can be done by an accredited assessor, or by providing detail in accordance with the Building Code of Australia or SA Housing Code ‘deemed to satisfy’ provisions including: Building materials (roof, external walls, floors, added insulation) Area of glazing for each elevation Percentage of glazing to total floor area Building sealing (air-conditioning, chimneys & flues, external doors) Air movement & ventilation A new dwelling must achieve a minimum four star rating 17 Truss Calculations When trusses are used in a building the application must include the truss manufacturer’s computer data calculations, a plan of the truss layout and design, and fixing and bracing details and a design certificate. Location of Smoke Detectors New homes are required to fit a 240 volt mains powered smoke alarm. It is important that your smoke alarm is installed correctly and in an appropriate location. Depending on the layout of your home, it may be necessary to install more than one smoke alarm to provide sufficient warning. Indemnity Insurance A certificate of builder’s indemnity insurance is required to be provided when a licensed builder, a licensed trades person or a licensed building supervisor has been engaged for construction work valued at $12,000 or more. Indemnity insurance covers non-completion of building work and/or failure to rectify faulty work if the contractor dies, disappears or is declared bankrupt. Owner/ builders are required by law to meet the same legislative requirements relating to building work as licensed building contractors. These obligations are outlined in a Planning SA booklet ‘As an Owner Builder, what are my responsibilities under the Development Act 1993?’. 18 Roof, Wall, Floor and Framing Details The roof, wall, floor and framing details must be drawn to a minimum scale of 1:100 and show: Wall, roof and floor framing layout, nominating all member sizes and positions Wall bracing details and tie down details, in accordance with the designated wind speed Where roof trusses are used: roof truss layout and manufacturer’s bracing and tie down specifications are also required Where steel framing is used: certification by an independent engineer is also required I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Sections Sections will be required where it is necessary to clarify methods of construction or design. This will be determined by the designer or architect, or may be requested by the Council’s assessment officer. Sectional (cut away) drawings must be drawn at a minimum scale of 1:50 to clarify methods of construction or design. The drawings should show detail of how the structure is fixed to the foundation and attached to other buildings. 19 Structural Engineer’s Report Water Efficiency – Rainwater Tanks A structural engineer’s report will be required where footings are used, or where any building component is outside of the standard design requirements. The structural engineers report must address issues including: From 1 July 2006, an additional water supply must supplement mains water: For all new dwellings; and for extensions and additions which include a toilet, laundry or water heater Soil quality (bore log) Footing plan Wind speed Earthquake assessment Structural calculations (e.g. beams, lintels etc) Contour plan Rainwater from a minimum of 50m2 of the roof catchment area must be collected by gutters and downpipes; stored in a rainwater tank with a minimum capacity of 1 kilolitre (1000 litres) and plumbed to a toilet; water heater; or all cold water laundry outlets If the roof catchment area of the new building is less than 50m2, all run-off from the roof must be collected, stored & plumbed Siteworks & drainage Site classification Construction Industry Training Board Levy Where the estimated value of building or construction work exceeds $15,000 the project owner is required to pay the Construction Industry Training Board Levy. The levy (0.25% of building work value) is used to finance training schemes in the building industry. Payment can be made to the Council, or to the Construction Industry Training Board. In this instance, a receipt of payment must be supplied with your development application to Council. The Floor Plan / Plan View must include: Roof layout showing catchment area and location of downpipes and water tanks An overflow device must be fitted to the tank and to ensure water quality a mosquito proof, non-degradable screen must be attached Where multiple dwellings utilise a communal rainwater tank, the minimum capacity of the tank must be multiplied by the number of dwellings contributing to it Plumbing work must be done by a licensed plumber and comply with AS/NZS 3500:2003, the National Plumbing and Drainage Code and any SA variations published by SA Water. The technical requirements of rainwater tanks are contained in Section 14 of AS/NZS 3500:2003 and the SA Water variations. You are encouraged to contact Council’s Development Officers prior to lodging your application to assist with the information required. 20 I want to... Build a new house in Burnside How Much Does It Cost? There are a number of fees associated with the lodgement of an application for a new house. The “lodgement fee” for applications for new houses is $99.75. The “planning fee” is relative to the estimated cost of the development and the level of assessment required by Council and other Government agencies. For new houses over $100,000 in value, the planning fee is 0.125% of development cost. If we need to refer your application to a State Government agency, such as the Country Fire Service or Heritage SA, there is an additional fee of $167.00 per referral. If your application needs to be publicly notified as Category 2 (see section under Public Notification), we will require an additional fee of $80.00. If the application is Category 3 an additional fee of $300.00 is required for advertising. If you are seeking building consent as well as planning consent, a “building fee” will also be required. The fees for a building application are calculated based on the floor area of works being undertaken. The fees for a house including alterations and additions is $2.20/m². For further information on fees, please visit www.burnside.sa.gov.au So What Happens After I Lodge My Application With Council? Once you have lodged your application with Council and have paid your fees, Council will acknowledge receipt of your application in writing and will let you know who the allocated Development Officers are. The application will be packaged up and allocated to a Planning Officer if the application is for planning approval only, or to both a Planning and Building Officer if you are seeking both planning and building approval, within two to three days of lodgement. Once your application has been allocated to a Planning Officer, he or she will briefly review the file to make sure that all of the fundamental information is included and then undertake an inspection of the property and the locality to visually see how your house is going to sit within the block and how it relates to other properties within the street. In most cases, the Planning Officer will contact you to let you know that they will be inspecting the property and you may wish to meet the Planning Officer on site to explain the details of your new house and the site. If the Planning Officer thinks more information is required or that there are some issues that require resolution, he or she will advise you at the site meeting. Once the Planning Officer is satisfied that all of the required information has been received, the Planning Officer will commence assessment of the application. One of the first steps in assessment is to determine whether the application needs to be publicly notified. 21 Public Notification The planning system provides an opportunity for people who are likely to be affected by certain kinds of development to give us their views. State Government legislation, together with our own guidelines, state what types of development requires public notification. There are three notification categories: Category 1 – Does not require public notification. These types of applications are usually straightforward and generally meet the guidelines of the City’s Development Plan. Category 2 – Adjoining neighbours must be notified by letter of the proposed development and are provided with the opportunity to comment to us although they have no right of appeal if we approve the application. Category 3 – Adjoining owners and anyone directly affected are notified by letter, as well as the broader community through a general advertisement in the Advertiser. Any interested party can make comment to us on a Category 3 development. Only Category 3 development proposals have third party appeal rights. Anyone who raises an objection to a Development Application can appeal to the Environment, Resources and Development Court if we approve the application. Most new house applications are either Category 1 or Category 2. In some extreme circumstance, such as new houses in the Hills Face or the Watercourse Zone, applications may be Category 3. Generally speaking, if your new house is single storey and is set back off the side and rear boundaries of the property by at least 900mm, no public notification is required. If your new house is single storey and built along either a side or rear boundary, or is two storey in height, it will be Category 2. Once an application is notified, any person may lodge a written representation with Council. The written representation must be lodged with Council within ten (10) business days of the date of either the letter or the advertisement. 22 What Happens When We Receive Comments? At the end of the public notification and consultation process, Council forwards a copy of the written representations received to the applicant. The applicant has an opportunity to respond, in writing, to the representations received, within ten (10) business days of receipt of any written representations. The public comments that we receive during a public notification period undergo a review process by our Development Officers. This process often involves discussions with representors and the applicant to attempt to negotiate a resolution, which may or may not involve changes to the application. If only minor changes are made to an application as a result of these discussions, then the representors are advised of the changes. If major changes to the application are necessary, then the whole process of public notification is undertaken again. It’s important to note that public notification is not a popularity contest. We may still approve a development application after taking objections into account provided that the application satisfies our Development Plan guidelines. Similarly, we may refuse a development application when it does not satisfy the Development Plan guidelines even if there are no objections from neighbours. Once the applicant has responded to written representations, including any negotiation with representors, Planning staff undertake an assessment of the application against the guidelines contained in the Burnside (City) Development Plan. The Development Plan is the only document Council can have regard to in making its decision. This assessment of the application takes into consideration all legitimate planning issues, including those raised through the public notification and consultation process. I want to... Build a new house in Burnside Building Assessment If you have lodged an application for both planning and building consent, during the assessment of the application by Council’s Planning Officers, Council’s Building Officers will concurrently undertake an assessment of the application against the Building Code of Australia. The benefits of Council’s Building Officers carrying out the assessment are: The application can be assessed concurrently with your planning consent, saving valuable time; Our overall building fees are generally more competitive than private certifiers; and importantly also contains a number of Advisory Notes which are designed to provide broad information about the development process. You will not be able to proceed with your development until you receive your building consent and Development Approval. If you lodged your application for planning and building approval, once the decision is made on your application, either by staff or the DAP, you will receive a Decision Notification which highlights the decision (Development Approval) and any conditions that may be imposed. The Decision Notification also contains a number of Advisory Notes which are designed to provide broad information about the development process. Once you receive this Development Approval, you will be able to proceed to construct your house! Summary Consistency between the planning and building approvals is ensured removing difficulties that may arise during the construction process. Hopefully, this Booklet has given you a more detailed insight into some of the main issues we’ll consider as we review your planning application to build a new house in Burnside. The Decision? Don’t forget, in addition to consulting with your professional advisors, you can turn to our “Making Plans” booklet, our website, and our regular Development Clinics to obtain further information – and you can always call us on 08 8366 4244 if you need further help. Council’s Development Officers will make decisions on most Development Applications. For more complicated or contentious Applications, or where adjoining property owners have outstanding or unresolved issues, the final decision will be made by Council’s Development Assessment Panel (DAP). If your application is to be assessed by the DAP, you will be advised of when and where the application is to be considered. As the DAP only meets monthly (on the first Tuesday of the month), it is important to understand that the overall timeframe for making a decision may be extended. If you lodged your application for planning approval only, once the decision is made on your application, either by staff or the DAP, you will receive a Decision Notification which highlights the decision (Development Plan Consent) and any conditions that may be imposed. The Decision Notification 23 Civic Centre 401 Greenhill Road Tusmore SA 5065 Telephone (08) 8366 4244 Facsimile (08) 8366 4298 www.burnside.sa.gov.au