Building Act 2004
29Approval requirements
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29 Approval requirements (1) Each of the following is an approval requirement for plans: (a) if the plans are for the substantial alteration of a building—the building as altered will comply with this Act and the building code; Note 1 Substantial alteration—see s (2). Note 2 A reference to an Act includes a reference to the statutory instruments made or in force under the Act, including regulations and the building code (see Legislation Act, s 104). (b) if the plans are for the erection or alteration of a building—the building, if erected or altered in accordance with the plans, will comply with this Act;
(c) if the plans are for the demolition of a building—demolition in accordance with the plans will comply with this Act; (d) if a waste management plan is required to accompany the application—the plan is adequate; (e) if an asbestos removal control plan is required to accompany the application—the plan complies with the Dangerous Substances Act 2004 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011; (f) the building as proposed to be erected or altered will be structurally sufficient, safe and stable; (g) if the plans show site work that, if carried out in accordance with the plans, might be exempt under the Planning Act 2023 from requiring development approval— (i) a copy of an exemption assessment D notice for the site work stating that the site work is exempt development is attached; or Note Applying for an exemption assessment is not a requirement of the development approval or building approval process. If a person believes that a development is an exempt development, the person need not apply for an exemption assessment from a works assessor or building surveyor (see Planning Act 2023, s 150). (ii) a site work notice for the site work, stating that the site work is exempt development, has been issued under section 28 (1A); or Note If site work is an exempt development, it does not require development approval (see Planning Act 2023, s 145). (iii) development approval for the site work is attached; or
(iv) a copy of an exemption declaration under the Planning (Exempt Development) Regulation 2023, schedule 1, section 1.131 (1) (d) is attached. Plans show a proposed residence and garage, and development approval has not been given. The information in the plans in relation to the residence and garage suggests that the residence and garage might be exempt from the requirement for development approval. However, the territory plan sets out other requirements that must be satisfied before the proposed residence and garage will be exempt from requiring development approval, for example, requirements in relation to trees, driveways, car parking, colours and the amount of the land parcel that must not contain certain buildings. The plans must show all the information necessary for the certifier to be satisfied that all the requirements for the proposed residence and garage to be exempt from requiring development approval have been met, including the requirements in relation to trees, driveways and other matters related to the residence and garage in the territory plan. If development approval is given for the proposed residence and the garage, then the plans do not need to include the information necessary to establish that they are exempt from requiring development approval. If an exemption assessment D notice for the proposed residence and garage indicates the residence and garage are exempt from requiring development approval, then the plans do not need to include any additional information to establish that the proposed residence and garage are an exempt development. Note 1 This provision does not give a certifier power to require an applicant to provide either development approval, or an exemption assessment D notice, under the Planning Act 2023. Note 2 Section 30 and s 30A prevent building approval from being given in some cases. (2) A regulation may declare that— (a) an alteration of a building is or is not a substantial alteration; or (b) a part of a building (the unaltered part) that has not been altered need not comply with the building code despite subsection (1) (a).