Questions about Planning Permit and Building

lilyesp on 12/11/2024 - 22:52
Last edited 13/11/2024 - 09:03 by 1 other user

Hi all, my sister has a house in Victoria which was built in 1970s.

There is like an extension to the lounge room 4x5m like extra dining space roof extended etc. probably built at the same time or 1980s. Now just checking she is about to get a permit to build a deck.

Will the council check the deck against the old plans and be:

1) There's no permit for extension you need to now get approval for this house extension before building the deck
2) Given it is very old extension (don't think councils have records before 1990) they won't care
3) There is a way to check the permits listed for the house. But is it worthwhile paying the fee $200…if there's no permit will her property be flagged?

She really wants to build the deck with a permit etc

Cheers

• 

  AngoraFish on 13/11/2024 - 00:36

  +6

  1/2) anything over 10 years old is generally assumed to be grandfathered; they won't care. Things ran differently in the 1980s. Some councils do have records from before the 1990s, but they're almost all poorly indexed and sitting in warehouse somewhere in the back of an industrial estate waiting to be digitized. Either way they won't care.

  3) there is no system to 'flag' a property, and nobody has the time or energy to pick a fight over a deck. These kinds of permits are processed by the most junior person in the office and are tick and flick. Just submit the permit application. It is not worthwhile paying the $200 fee.

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  Benoffie on 13/11/2024 - 07:50

  Certainly in SA anything that old Council has no records for and they assume was inspected and approved. I wouldnt go chasing that for no reason.

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  Dollar General on 13/11/2024 - 09:19

  +1

  Seriously doubt council will check a planning application for a deck against old plans.

  Just submit the plan showing existing dwelling/structure

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  Porker on 13/11/2024 - 11:47

  +1

  @AngoraFish response is correct for most if not all situations.

  Where you may (at a very far stretch) encounter issues for items 1 & 2 is if, for example, the property has a heritage overlay. If however the extension was performed at the time period you mentioned, then this item is unlikely to be an issue as heritage protections came in later (I believe).

  You can look up the property at this address to see if the above-mentioned or other overlays exist: https://mapshare.vic.gov.au/vicplan/

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  Euphemistic on 13/11/2024 - 12:37

  +1

  The most likely outcome is that the cpuncil will mot know there is an extension, nor care.

  Typically the only way a council finds out about 'illegal' construction is when someone complains. If the extension has been there for a long time, theres likely no problems.

  Of course when it comes to construction, if am inspector finds significant issues with the house there may be some rectification required.