Complying Development is a single-staged, fast-track state wide approval process that applies to specified developments such as dwellings, alterations and additions to dwellings, garages, carports, pergolas and shade structures, internal shop or office fit-out works, re-cladding or re-furbishing certain buildings, swimming pools, sheds, fences and retaining walls. A proposal must fall within a category of Complying Development and meet with the specified criteria to be eligible for a complying development certificate.

The State Government will ‘roll-out’ these criteria as of December 2008 and will take approximately 12 months.

A Complying Development Certificate can be obtained by making an application to Fitzgerald Building Certifiers together with the provision of detailed building plans and specifications.

A Complying Development Certificate can only be issued if:

• the proposed development fully complies with the specific requirements and criteria for Complying Development
• the proposal complies with the BCA and the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979

If the criteria specified in the Complying Development criteria cannot be satisfied, then a Development Application must be submitted to Council, and a Construction Certificate must also be obtained, before commencing any work.