Renovating? What about the neighbours?
August 26th 2008 02:19
Under state and local council laws in Australia, neighbours have certain rights, protecting them from inappropriate development and inconvenience during a building project.
Keeping your neighbours informed about your building work is sensible and can help avoid problems before, during and after you’ve built.
Neighbours are entitled to view any planning permit documentation that is being advertised for the purpose of a planning permit application. Your council will usually manage this process.
A site sign for the building project must be displayed in an easily seen location, providing details of the building permit, the building surveyor who issued it and the builder responsible for the work.
In NSW a development application is publicised in the local paper as well as on the outside of the building for neighbours to view. There are also opportunities for neighbours to voice their concerns about proposed renovation work.
While neighbours can obtain this information from these sources, problems are often overcome by providing them in person. Sometimes you may even need to have your neighbour on side to obtain a permit. This could be the case if your design means that your proposed building project may overlook their place.
Building Regulations provide protection for neighbouring properties. You may be required to undertake protection work to ensure your neighbour’s property is not damaged during building work.
Neighbours should never be unduly inconvenienced by building work. Victorian and council laws also set out requirements covering construction processes that protect the community from unsafe pathways and road and building sites.
If a neighbour makes a complaint to council about your building project this may result in an inspection of your building work. That’s why it is important to know what is expected and what you need to do to ensure it complies with regulations.
If the project meets building and planning requirements, you are well on the way to avoiding possible issues. Consider discussing your proposal with the neighbours, as sometimes they may just appreciate being the first to know.
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