Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Dec 27, 2010 5:56 pm We are looking at renovating our place and adding rooms at the rear. In NSW, you can do this as a complying development and avoid all the hassle of putting plans to local council. Basically, a certifier reviews the plans and certified they comply with minimum standards and off you go and do the renovation. We are considering whether to let the neighbours have input to the plans - as a complying development they otherwise do not get an opportunity to object or have input. Advantage - It is neighbourly. They get a chance to provide input, appreciate it and may have suggestions that improve their amenity whilst not impacting yours. Disadvantage - They make lots of suggestions or just one that completely messes up your plans and are then permanently peed off because you ignore their suggestions and go ahead anyway. What do h1ers think? Re: Neighbours and complying development 2Dec 27, 2010 6:24 pm I think the answer depends on how you get on with the neighbours in the first place, if you get on well with them I would suggest letting them have input (I would also suggest taking plans to them before you submit them so they can have some unofficial input beforehand and maybe save on any official input later) But if you don't get on with them, or you have some annoying nieghbours it might pay to not let them have input, but expect that to also make things worse afterwards, but it may also stop lots of annoying changes. If I was to win Lotto, I would build with a different builder, now to win lotto Re: Neighbours and complying development 3Dec 27, 2010 6:37 pm Roadkill They will not get a chance of "official input" as under NSW law, this is not part of the process. As long as you meet the required standards you just do the renovation, no need to get neigbour's views Oh and I get on well with both neighbours. Re: Neighbours and complying development 4Dec 27, 2010 8:45 pm You should make sure that there are no restrictive covenants on your property before you do anything. Regardless of what the planning laws say if your development doesn't comply with a restrictive covenant the neighbour may have have the right to stop the work if they could be considered to have the benefit of the covenant. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Neighbours and complying development 6Dec 28, 2010 8:32 am Hi, I guess it all boils down to whether there are aspects of your design that you think will upset your neighbours... personally I'd show them the plans allow them some input as long as they are aware that their suggestions are just that... suggestions. We did CDC and showed the neighbours our plans (we were doing a KDRB in an established area and didn't live there before - so we saw it as a good opportunity to meet the neighbours). Both sets said they were fine with the plans... however after the build was finished one set of neighbours has told us that they were quite 'put out' about the fact that there are windows that 'overlook' their pool (bearing in mind that they are bedroom windows and more than 3m from the boundary [actually closer to 5.5m]) - they have claimed they'll need to spend a fortune redoing the pool and alfresco area to reclaim their privacy. We have sunscreen blinds down virtually all the time and our son is only 9 months old - hardly going to be perving out the window at his age.... it just goes to show that even with the opportunity for input they may not be happy... despite saying they were perfectly happy during the planning stages... Never argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level & then beat you with experience - Dilbert View Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=19733 Contract signed 14Sept Slab 30Sept Bricks laid 1Dec Lock up 26Feb Keys 10Jun Re: Neighbours and complying development 7Jan 01, 2011 10:55 pm Maybe you just need to word the approach a little differently. Instead of saying: "Here's our plans, what do you think?" You say: "Our plans are complete and I thought you might like to see them as a courtesy." The first way invites suggestions; the second way is still polite but it implies the plans are done and won't be changed unless there's a very good reason. Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Hi All, I'm new here! I'm in a block of 4 apartments (Waverley council) and looking to change a window to a sliding door. The window faces an enclosed garden (with a… 0 5540 Hi, does anyone have a clue how the Brisbane Development website work in terms of how uptodate the dates on it are (developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au). I transfered… 0 4644 Yeah I don't know why I came to a forum. Place is full of wierdos/pedos thought internet may help but I suppose I'll try my luck with someone in person. Cheers. I tried… 0 6446 |