What is the relationship between Planning and Building Approvals?

Planning and building departments in local governments are very much intertwined. In almost all cases, any proposed development will require some sort of building approval. However, in many cases before a building approval can be issued, planning approval is also required to ensure a proposed development is compliant within its surrounding context. Some exceptions apply, depending on the council and zones within the council. These typically relate to sheds, alterations and other incidental structures.

Recent planning reform in WA has also allowed for many proposed single residential developments to skip the planning approval process provided they comply with the provisions of the R-Codes. But remember, this is only for planning approval, a building permit will still be required.

In the private sector, many consultancy firms including Planning WA provide both planning and building services. This allows you to engage with one office, rather than moving between various departments in order to gain both planning and building advice and approvals. We can ensure your proposal achieves R-code compliance and design compliance before submission and can even undertake the submission process for you, simplifying the process. Call us now on (08) 6114 9356 or contact us for more information.