CDC, also known as complying development, is a fast-track approval process for straightforward residential, commercial, and industrial development. In July 2020 NSW government launched the Low-Rise Housing Diversity Code Where Dual Occupancies can be approved by a Private Certifier. The proposed development must comply with the development standards contained within Part 3B of the Code SEPP and the regulation requires that an Architect or an accredited Building Designer has designed or immediately directed the design of the development. At Duplex Building Design, we are proudly accredited members of the Building Designers Association of Australia and will be able to sign off your dual occupancy.
Not all sites and designs can be approved under complying development. Some of these will need to be approved by Council via the DA process. Depending on the site and its natural constraints each option will have its positives and negatives; for this reason, correctly assessing the feasibility of your site can significantly change the way you get the best yield and take the greatest advantage of your site. At Duplex Building Design we can help you find the most suitable approval method, based on your site and circumstances.
Assuming the way of getting approval for your duplex is through complying development the following steps are involved:
1. Site Analysis:
- Obtaining a site survey where the setback of the neighbours’ site is available.
- Finding out site assets such as existing sewer services, easements, power poles, manholes, and hydrants.
- Identifying if there are protected trees on site that will need to be retained.
- If the site is sloping, and if so, which way?
- Bushfire vulnerability
- Mine subsidence
- Heritage conservation area
- North and sun path in relation to your site
2. Design Process: Our designers will follow all the SEPP requirements for Dual occupancy while fulfilling your brief. Some of the approval requirements involve:
- Context and neighbourhood character
- Built form and scale
- Density
- Sustainability
- Landscape
- Desired amenities
- Safety
- Housing diversity and social interaction
- Aesthetics
We can proudly confirm that currently our company designs and receives approval for the majority of CDC Duplexes in the South Coast and Illawarra as well a significant number of developments in the Sydney and Newcastle areas. Additionally to this, we have received approval for this type of development all around NSW. We consider ourselves experts in the code and have extensive experience working with sloping sites.
3. Professionals Engagement: As part of the approval process the following professionals will be involved and required for approval:
- Private Certifier: As the approval authority
- Architect or Building Designer: Issue architectural drawings
- Surveyor: Issue a Survey
- Registered Landscape Designer: Issue Landscape plan
- Thermal Assessor: Basix and Nathers
- Structural Engineer: Structural Design
- Stormwater Engineer: Stormwater management and design
- Geotechnical Engineer: Soil composition
Depending on your site and its constraints, other consultants may be required as part of your CDC pool of professionals. These can include, but are not limited to:
- Heritage Consultant
- Arborist
- Bushfire Consultant
- BCA Consultant
- Façade Engineer
- Fire Engineer
- Water Coordinator
- Flood Engineer
4. Long service levy payment: The NSW Government charges a levy on all building and construction works of $250,000 or more. The levy is paid into a fund administered by the Long Service Corporation (LSC). This fund pays long service to eligible building and construction workers.
5. Sydney water building approval or relevant authority. Also known as water Tap-in. This is the assessment of the proposed structure in relation to existing water assets.
6. Sec on 138 road opening permit (if applicable): This is the approval from Council to do works on their property. Specifically new driveway crossings.
7. Cost Summary Report: This is the production report that shows the projected building cost of the proposed development.
8. Builder’s License (If available)
9. Waste management plan: Outlines strategies to manage waste generated by the proposed development and divert waste from landfill by ensuring where possible, any waste generated is appropriately recycled or reused.
10. Building specifications: used by subcontractors and teams as a guide to choosing the right materials for the specialized project. Their overall purpose is to define the requirements for project execution regarding installation, materials, products, procedures, and quality aspects.
Some other approvals may be required as part of the approval process, such as tree removal approval from the council, mine subsidence, Sydney trains, energy provider, etc. Those are site-specific and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Once you have compiled all the above designs and certifications, you will receive a CDC approval, which is the combination of the DA-CC if you use the development application path, meaning that once you receive the approval of the CDC your dual occupancy is ready to begin construction.
If you have felt overwhelmed by the number of approvals, professionals, and applications you may require for your duplex approval, we are here to help you. We at Duplex Building Design want you to have a stress-free experience. We have a team of experienced project approval coordinators that will take care of all these steps for you, so you can enjoy the process and keep developing sites along with us.
If you have any questions regarding any of our services, do not hesitate to contact us.
