FAQs

Yes. You will just need to submit a planning application to the City for us to consider the type of works or land use that you want to do. 

The Policy only lists circumstances where planning approval is not required. If it's not listed or doesn't meet the conditions specified, it doesn't mean that it's not permitted or is not acceptable. It just means that you need to go through an application process to seek approval and for it to be considered by the City.

Yes. Events will no longer need planning approval under the circumstances outlined in Table 4, Row 1 of the draft Policy. 

This is where the event meets the following:

• The event is in existence for a single period of 12 consecutive hours or less in any one week period if on public land, and any one month period if on private land;
• Written notification is providing to all adjoining residential properties a minimum of one week prior to first occurrence of the event; and
• The event is not of a high scale, impact or intensity, as determined by the City.

Guidance notes are also included in the draft Policy which outline what needs to be included in the written notification to adjoining residents, and what will be considered by the City when deciding whether an event is of a high scale, impact and intensity. These considerations include the size of the event, the activities involved, and the potential to generate impacts of the surrounding areas such as noise, parking and traffic.

Yes. Impacts such as parking, traffic, noise and waste would still be considered by the City when events are proposed or held.

Planning approval is only one of the approvals that an event may need from the City before it goes ahead.

Event organisers will still always need to submit an Event Application to the City before an event occurs. As part of this application, information needs to submitted on the following:

• Event size and times;
• Noise creating activities, public notification and noise management;
• Venue details;
• Lighting, signage and access details;
• Traffic and parking details and management; and
• Rubbish removal details and management.

The Event Application and these details are considered and reviewed by the City before an event occurs.

An event may also need approvals from the City's Health team, such as for noise management plans or temporary food permits. Approvals from the City's Building team may also be needed for any temporary structures such as marquees and seating.

No. You would still be able to put up alfresco blinds subject to receiving planning approval from the City first.

The proposed change means that you would need to go through an application process for the appropriateness of the alfresco blinds to be considered by the City.

Yes. Under Table 4, Row 3 of the draft Policy, there is a list of conditions that a temporary viewing platform proposal would need to meet for it to not require planning approval.

One of these conditions includes that the platform is located away from adjoining residential properties and that the viewing floor/s shall be screened to restrict views downwards and towards these properties. 

A guidance note is then including with further advice. It states that platforms should be located on the side of the development site furthest away from adjoining residential properties. It also states that the platform should be provided with screening devices around all sides of the viewing floor/s and stairs where facing adjoining residential properties, with these devices to be a minimum of 75 per cent obscure and of a sufficient height, setback and design to restrict views on a downward angle.

One of the following would happen:

1. If all of the conditions in the draft Policy under Table 4, Row 3 are met, planning approval would not be required for the temporary viewing platform; or
2. If all of these conditions are not met, a planning application would be required to be submitted to the City to seek planning approval for the temporary viewing platform. The acceptability of the platform would be considered by the City against it's other local planning policies and after community consultation has occurred.

No. For works to a residential property, such as adding a patio or a shed, they still may not require planning approval if they met all of the deemed-to-comply standards in the Residential Design Codes and the City's Built Form Policy. The exemption under Table 2, Row 2 of the draft Policy is just a simpler way for minor structures under 30 square metres and 3.5 metres height to not need planning approval.

For works to a commercial property, any structures that did meet the conditions in the Policy (under Table 3, Row 2) would need planning approval.