Random audits are one of the measures executive Council staff are looking at around what they say is an increase in unauthorised development.
Council’s Director Sustainable Economy and Environment, Shannon Burt, issued a ‘friendly reminder’ last week, and said, ‘if you’re planning to build, renovate or change the use of a building on your property – it is illegal to proceed without the proper approvals in place’.
Ms Burt said, ‘We’re observing an increase in unauthorised development and that information is coming to us from both staff and the wider community’.
‘In response to community concerns, Council is now looking to implement a random audit process for Complying Development Certificates issued by private certifiers,’ Ms Burt said.
‘Complying development is a combined planning and construction approval for straightforward residential, commercial, and industrial development that can be determined through a fast-track assessment process. It can be assessed and determined by a council or a registered certifier without the need for a full DA.
‘In recent times, we have started to see complying development certificates that have been issued and that do not satisfy the requirements for, or meet the pre-determined development standards of, complying development,’ Ms Burt said.
For more information visit www.byron.nsw.gov.au.
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