Building Surveying assessment_ ,

Task 1: Planning application requirements for Mosman Council

a. Documents Required

It is always a priority to check the kind of approval needed.

Development Exempt

A lot of minor changes to buildings such as renovations of the interior and other work touching on non-structural part may fall under the exempt development category. Retention of fences, walls, blinds, awnings, greenhouses, gazebos, sheds, privacy screens, enclosures, pathways, driveways, decks, pathways, internal structures that are non-load bearing, maintenance repairs and landscaping are some of the exemption works cited (NSW Government, n.d). If the alterations suggested comply with all the requirements for exemption indicated in the NSW Environmental Planning Policy, they be done without securing consent from the Council

Complying Development

Internal and external changes that are not exempted must fulfill complying development criteria. Complying development refers to a specific class of low effect development that complies with criteria already established by either the Environmental Planning Policy of the state or a Council Local Environmental Plan (NSW Government, n.d). If a proposal satisfies the whole set of complying requirements, i.e. the exempt and complying development codes of 2008, a complying development certificate is required before work is started.

Development Requiring A Development Application

In the event that a development does not meet the complying or exempt criteria, it requires lodging a development application with the Council authorities. If an approval for a development is secured for the works proposed, a construction certificate is also required before starting the building project. This project is an extension to a dwelling. Therefore, it is not a new construction. Nevertheless, it does not meet the exempt criteria. The information availed is not sufficient to determine whether it falls within the exempt criteria or complying development. Therefore, it is concluded that the development requires a development application. The documents required for the development application for Mosman Council approval include:

a model of architectural plan. The plan is always required if the works are worth above $ 1.3 million

the Statement of Heritage Impact; if it is affected by heritage

a parking and traffic impact study; needed for multi-residential and commercial development

The Australia building Code(BCA); it is particularly needed for developments to which BCA may affect the building design

An acoustic report; if the proposed project may lead to the generation of nose effect and development of residential structures on Spit and Military Roads;

Where works are grouped as Integrated Development there are extra fees and additional documentation needed so as to present them to the relevant government agencies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The council should be contacted for additional information regarding Integrated Development.

An arborist report

Schedule of, new building, finishes

A geotechnical report

A BASIX Certificate (Monsan Council n.d).

If information is missing on the checklist, the application will be sent back along with a letter containing the required information. If it fulfills all requirements the application will be lodged officially and the process of assessment started.

b. Compliance with statutory requirements

The Planning Development and Infrastructure Act of 2016 also referred to as the PDI Act 2016 outlines the statutory requirements for approving applications for development of buildings including alterations and additions.

General Design Criteria

The proposed development includes articulated facades meant to avoid a bulky look. In order to achieve such an end, the present project utilizes various elements such as setbacks and modulation in the construction of walls, verandahs, pergolas and balconies. According to the documents for planning, there is evidence that the building is constructed from the group upwards. The ground Floors are located at a level near the natural ground level. It includes normal ceiling heights. The pitch of the roof isnt exaggerated (Mosman Municipal Council 2004). The project includes multiple dwellings with clear entrance hierarchy. There is provision for direct access to the street to the ground floor dwellings which have a lobby entrance that is distinct from individual dwelling entrances.

The design of the alterations and additions shows architectural concordance with the buildings already in place. The additions on the first floor have been interlaced with the design to prevent a bulk/scale relationship dominance of the street, the existing building or the neighboring ones. The structures are in conformity with the originals in massing, proportion terms and the fabric in existence. The alterations and additions make use of similar bulk and scale to the base building and also make sure that the new structure avoids dominating. The proposed part of the building is smaller than the original one.

Roof Design of Building

The roof characteristics below have been taken into consideration in the context of the item, i.e. the material, the scale, materials, gable, symmetry/asymmetry, eave and verge specifics. The alterations consider the design of the original structure. The type of roof, material and pitch including the proportion of the doors and windows the voids and solids ratio are important in developing a design that is compatible (Mosman Municipal Council 2004). The original material has not been altered in any way. The new development is easily distinguishable from the original.

Details of the Development and Building Materials

The additions and alterations designs restore the architectural detailing including a barge board, finial trim, awnings and verandahs at the front by choosing profiles and indicating trim for heritage items and around conservation areas. Face brickwork and painting should be avoided. Original treatments for the wall should be avoided. There a careful attention given to brick bonds use in the modification of face brick building via additions. Attention is also paid to the formation of window heads and whether tuck painting is used on mortar joints. Fresh windows have been used in with the existing fabric so as to make sure that the proportion of the windows including the details and materials are in unity with those of the original buildings (Mosman Municipal Council 2004). New Developments have reproduced period details of the base building and also respected the scale and form of the immediate surroundings.

Statutory regulations demand that the addition is sited in a careful way. They should either be at the side or rear of the structure so that alterations to the street faade are avoided and consequently limit the change impact. The alterations and additions for this projec are located...…that should be considered in the development

Excavation that is located close to the boundaries should also be addressed by such a report. There should be a structural engineers review of the area and a report that addresses the way the project works will be done to avoid affecting the properties around it. The report available now is only based on observations. It does not contain LRM. Thus, it does not provide any evidence of recommendations on the prevailing conditions that are applicable to the proposed development.

Considering the shortcomings above, therefore, the conclusion is that the geotechnical report prepared provided for the current project is not a product of a specialized expert; a contravention of the Mosman Council Laws.

Task 4: Application Determination

The Mosman Council makes it clear that if any document required is missing in the development application, the application is rejected and is sent back accompanied with a letter detailing such shortcomings (Mosman council 2013). Several items are missing including a drainage plan, an erosion and sediment control report, and the additions and alterations that involve drainage and storm water management changes. Further, owing to the height that the current construction will reach, there is a need for a shadow diagram to be prepared and attached to the application. Such a diagram is not available. The views for the Middle Harbour/Pearl Bay Townscape as required by the Mosman Council are not available. Since the requisite documents required for the Development Application are missing, the application is to be rejected.

Task 5: the legislative guidelines for the notification of such an application while still under approval assessment

Notification is provided following the Development Control Plan of the relevant authority. Proposal Notification is stayed for 14 days. The Mosman Council requires that such Development Application is notified in four ways, i.e.

(a) Letter to

i. The adjoining neighbors, the ones residing nearby and considered to be at points that may be affected by the development, on the opposite end of the development project

ii. Any neighbors that may be affected adversely by the proposed project in the view of the Councils Assessment Officer

iii. Any public authority that is relevant

(b) Notice erection where the site is and where there are several frontages of the street, there will be such a notice erected at each front.

(c) A notification that the development application was received at the council posted in a local paper

(d) The details should also be posted on the website of the Council

Neighbors, in this part relates to the owners of property. If there is strata development, there will be notifications sent to the Owners Corporation and owners of the units. The notification letters will also be sent to the adjoining neighbors that are immediately situated next to the immediate neighbors in local government development proposal, for fresh multiple residential or commercial development within Mosman, if such areas are considered to be likely to be affected based on the Councils Assessment Officer (Monsan Council n.d; Mosman council 2013). There may be other types of notifications based on the application types outlined in the part.