ACTIn ForceAct
Building Act 2004
25CBuilding approvals apply to building work
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25C Building approvals apply to building work
To remove any doubt—
(a) a building approval only relates to building work shown on the
approved plans under the approval, other than building work—
(i) identified in the plans as not forming part of the approval;
and
(ii) on a parcel of land other than a parcel to which the
application for approval relates; and
(b) the issue of a building approval does not indicate that carrying
out work other than building work identified in the plans is
consistent with the law or lease provisions applying to carrying
out the work.
Example of work other than building work shown in approved plans
Approved plans show a multi-unit townhouse development. As well as showing
the townhouse buildings, the plans include landscape plans and structural
engineer’s plans for structural elements, brickwork screen walls, paling fencing and
reinforced concrete pedestrian surface paving. The building approval only relates
to the townhouse buildings (including their structural elements), the retaining walls,
the screen walls and the fencing.
Example of building work on parcel of land other than parcel to which
application relates
1 Approved plans show a shop which is proposed to have an awning over the
footpath in front of the shop. The awning is over unleased territory land, while
the rest of the shop is on leased land. An application for building approval
may only be made by the owner of the parcel of land for approval to carry out
building work on the land. If only the owner of the leased land applies for
building approval and the building approval is issued, the building approval
can relate only to building work on the leased land and not to the awning.
However, if the Territory and the owner of the leased land jointly apply for
building approval and the approval is issued, the approval can relate to
building work on both the awning and the leased land. But, if the Territory
grants the applicant a permit for the awning to be over a public place, the
permit-holder is, under this Act, taken to be the owner and may apply for
building approval for all the building work, including the awning.
2 Approved plans show proposed demolition of a fence and a party wall. The
wall and fence straddle a common boundary shared by 2 land parcels. The
building approval can not operate in relation to only 1 of the parcels. If
building approval is required for the demolition, it must relate to both parcels
of land.