Booklet One

I want to...
Build a new house in Burnside
Practical information that will help you put your development
application together and gain an understanding of the process

Go!
This Booklet is one of a series of information
guides that the City of Burnside has created to
help anyone whos seeking the go-ahead for a
development project.
Each Booklet deals with a specific application
type. If you need a Booklet on another type
of application, you can visit our website at
www.burnside.sa.gov.au to view and download
other Booklets in the series or contact the
Development & Policy Department on
08 8366 4244 and well be happy to post
one out to you.
Before you go any further, please make sure that
youve read a copy of Making Plans, our overall
guide to developing in Burnside.
Making Plans will give you a broad view on the
Citys development procedures, and should help set
in context the reasons why we follow this process
as we manage and nurture the future development
of Burnside.
If youve not had the chance to read Making
Plans, you can download a copy from our website
or call us on 08 8366 4244 well be pleased to pop
one in the post.
You need to be aware that while this Booklet
contains a great deal of information, it isnt a
comprehensive guide to helping you complete
your application, and its also worth bearing in
mind that every proposal is unique and different.

Depending on the kind of development youre planning,

you may therefore need to consider:
Reviewing the Burnside Development Plan
Appointing a professional advisor
Attending one of our regular Development Clinics
Talking to one of our Council Development Officers
You can obtain further information on these potential
steps from the Making Plans booklet or youre
welcome to call us on 08 8366 4244 if you need
further help.

The Big Picture

As youll have seen from Making Plans,
every proposed development that requires
approval must be submitted to the Council
for consideration. All applications are then
assessed against the guidelines contained
within the Burnside Development Plan and the
Building Code of Australia.

The Building Code of Australia (the BCA)

encompasses four primary elements:
Fire and life safety
Structural adequacy
Health and Amenity

The Development Plan is a statutory or legally binding

planning document which sets out the guidelines for
development in each Council area. The objective of the
Development Plan is to make sure that new houses:

Enhance the appearance and character of

residential areas
Enhance the environmental and visual qualities
of residential areas
Maintain privacy, security and amenity for
residents and neighbours
Respect the living and working conditions of
nearby residents and businesses
Promote better design
There are three major parts to the Burnside
Development Plan:

A Council-Wide section applying to all

development throughout the City of Burnside
Various Zones and Policy Areas which allow
certain types of development while excluding
others
A set of maps that show allotment boundaries
and the location of the different zones and
policy areas
The Council-Wide and Zone sections of the
Development Plan each contain Objectives and
Principles of Development Control which represent
Councils planning guidelines.

Energy efficiency
You can review the Burnside Development Plan by
visiting our website at www.burnside.sa.gov.au or
alternatively, we can post you a copy of the relevant
Policy Area, Zone and Council Wide provisions of the
Development Plan that are applicable to your site, or
contact Council about assistance with the BCA.
Before you can construct your new house, you will
require planning and building consent. You can do this
as two separate applications or you can lodge one
single application for both consents.
When we receive your application, it will be
considered within the context of our guidelines and
overall objectives, and, where appropriate, well also
take your neighbours views into consideration. There
can also be circumstances in which some applications
are subject to more extensive public notification.
Each application will be initially assessed by one of our
Development Officers, and they may require more
information from you to process your plan in which
case they will contact you.
How long will the process take? Thats a difficult
question to answer because every proposal is unique,
but the majority of applications that are assessed by
our team are processed between eight and twelve
weeks of receipt, and this generally includes the time
for any public consultation and referrals that may be
required. Well endeavour to process your application
as quickly as possible.
To help expedite the process, consider lodging your
building application with Council at the same time as
the planning application and we can assess
them concurrently.

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

I want to...
Build a new house in Burnside
Within the context of the Citys Development Plan,
this is how we make an overall assessment of an
application to build a new house in Burnside:

Overshadowing
Energy Efficiency
Stormwater Management

Will your proposed house enhance the

appearance, character and visual qualities of
the area?

Landscaping

Will it maintain the privacy and amenity for

residents and your neighbours?

Health & Amenity

Does it promote variety in the type of housing

to suit the different needs of people?

Structural Adequacy

Fire & Life Safety

Does it respect the living and working

conditions of nearby residents and businesses?

You can find out more about how we assess

applications against each of these criteria in
this Booklet.

Does it promote better building design and

energy efficiency?

Dont forget two further important points:

Will your proposed house be environmentally

sustainable?
Will your proposed house retain and protect
significant trees on the site?
Well also assess how your application matches a
broad range of other criteria, including:
Building Appearance
Positioning On A Block
Front, Side & Rear Setbacks
Site Coverage

The guidelines for new houses vary depending on

the zoning of your property and the policy area it
sits within. To find out which Zone and Policy Area
your property is located in, youll need to refer to
the maps in the Burnside Development Plan.
And
No two applications are ever identical, so we
cant provide a formula that will guarantee
success. We are here, however, to provide positive
and practical support to guide you and where
appropriate your advisors through the application
process and give you feedback and advice when
you ask for it.

Building Height
Car Parking & Driveways
Location of Garages
Private Open Space
Overlooking

Getting Into Detail

Lets look in more detail at some of the criteria that we apply when
we assess each application to build a new house in Burnside.
In general, this Booklet relates to the
construction of a new house within a
Residential Zone. For the construction of new
houses in the Hills Face Zone or Watercourse
Zone, which are different to the Residential
Zone, please refer to the
I Want To. Build A New House In The Hills
Face/Watercourse Zone Booklet and if your
new house is within the Historic (Conservation)
Zone, please refer to
I Want To. Develop A Heritage Property.
If your new house impacts on or requires the
removal of a protected or significant tree,
please refer to
I Want To. Prune/Remove A Significant Tree

Building Appearance
As youll have seen in Making Plans,
were keen in Burnside to make sure that
new houses complement the positive
features of the neighbourhood and those
of existing adjoining properties.
We want to nurture the special qualities that
give the city its desirable character in a way that
respects the old and reflects the new in other
words, were looking to make sure that we
safeguard those things that make Burnside unique.

In general terms, your planned new house will

complement the existing neighbourhood if you
consider and incorporate the following elements
of the area into your design:
Does your planned new house complement the
size and shape of other houses in the street,
including roof forms and verandahs?
Does it complement the way in which space
around and between the existing buildings has
been laid out in other words, its positioning on
the block?
Does it complement the, scale and bulk of other
houses in the street?
Do your proposed building materials, including
their colour and texture, complement those that
have already been used in other houses?
Does your planned garage and/or carport
complement those of other houses in the
neighbourhood?
Do your plans for your landscaping and trees
complement those that already exist in the street?
Do your plans affect a protected or Significant tree?

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Front Setbacks

Side Setbacks

One aspect of what makes an attractive

streetscape is the way in which homes are
positioned on their blocks. Most communities
want consistent positioning, with some space
between the boundary and the front of the house
called the front setback - to allow for landscaping,
provide space for on-site car parking, and help
reduce traffic noise levels.

Side setbacks, which are positioned from the

side boundary of the block to the house, allow for
adequate daylight to side windows. They also help
to minimise overshadowing of neighbouring properties
and create an attractive sense of space between houses.

Front setback distances vary across the Burnside

Council area, reflecting the character, age and
original building style of each neighbourhood.
However, most houses should be set back at least
6 metres from the front boundary, including the
eaves, porches and verandahs, and 3 metres from
a secondary street if the house is on a corner site.
Shorter setbacks may be appropriate where the
existing houses either side are set back less than
6 metres.
Some other parts of the Council area have varying
front setback distances, so you should refer to
the Development Plan to determine the actual
permissible front setbacks.

5m

6m

7m

EXISTING
DWELLING

Some specific rules apply to side setbacks:

Single storey houses should be set back at least
1.5 metres from side boundaries
Single storey houses with a wall height greater
than 3 metres and/or a finished floor level higher
than 1.5 metres above ground level should be set
back at least 2 metres from side boundaries
The upper levels of two storey houses should be
set back at least 4 metres from side boundaries
Where two storey houses have a wall height
greater than 6 metres, they should be set back at
least 4 metres plus a distance equivalent of the
height that exceeds 6 metres, so for example a
two storey house with 8 metre high walls needs
to have a side setback of at least 6 metres
In some instances, its possible to locate a portion
of a house on a boundary (usually the garage or
carport) provided that the portion of the house on
the boundary is a maximum of 3 metres high and
8 metres long. Generally, this is acceptable when
the patterns of space between buildings in the
street are maintained

NEW
DWELLING

EXISTING
DWELLING

Siting of new dwellings in an existing streetscape.

2m

1.5m

4m

With windows

2m

Without windows

2m

4m

1.5m

2m
Ground and upper level

Rear Setbacks

Building Height

Like side setbacks, rear setbacks allow for

adequate daylight to windows and they help
to minimise overshadowing of neighbouring
properties. They also provide room for private
open space and create an attractive sense of
space between houses.

We apply restrictions to the height (which we define

as the vertical distance from ground level to the
highest point of the roof) of proposed new houses.

The rules applying to rear setbacks include:

Single storey houses should be set back at
least 4 metres from the rear boundary
Single storey houses with a wall height greater
than 3 metres and/or a finished floor level
higher than 1.5 metres above ground level
should be set back at least 8 metres from the
rear boundary
The upper levels of two storey houses should
be set back at least 8 metres from the rear
boundary (provided that the floor level is no
higher than 1.5 metres above ground level)
Single storey or two storey houses with a floor
level greater than 1.5 metres above ground
level should be set back at least 8 metres from
the rear boundary

Min 8m

Rear
fence
Min 4m
Ground and upper level setbacks from rear boundaries

We do this to make sure that there is some

consistency in the height of houses within an
area. This helps to safeguard the visual form of
a neighbourhood, and it also helps to reduce
overshadowing and the potential for overlooking of
other houses nearby. After all, you wouldnt want to
be overlooked by someone elses home either.
The height of new houses is primarily determined by
the provisions of the Development Plan that relate
to the particular Policy Area. In general terms, new
houses should not be greater than two storeys or
nine metres in height; however, this is significantly
dependant on the existing character of a particular
area. For example, if the majority of buildings in
a particular area are one storey in height, but you
wish to construct a two storey house, the height of
the new house must be sympathetic to that of the
existing buildings. There are techniques that can be
used to achieve this including reducing the overall
height of the building, incorporating the upper level
within a roof space, setting the upper level of the
building further back from the front boundary or
setting the entire building back behind the alignment
of the neighbouring properties.
Its also worth noting that new houses in Residential
Policy Areas 1, 3, 5, 13, and 18 are limited to one
storey, but these may include a second storey where
it can be contained within the roof space. Please
refer to the specific Policy Area provisions of the
Development Plan.

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Site Coverage

Car Parking & Driveways

Well assess your plan to build a new house in

terms of its proposed site coverage in other
words, the area of the block that you intend to
cover with buildings.

Your proposed new house plan should include

adequate on-site car parking to meet the needs of you
and your visitors. We ask for this because it helps to
help reduce disturbance to nearby properties caused
by on street parking, and it also assists in the free
flow of traffic on our roads.

We want you to manage your site coverage to

make sure that youve provided adequate space
for outdoor recreation, that youre helping to
preserve the character of your area and that the
amount of stormwater runoff is minimised.
Our definition of site coverage includes garages,
carports and sheds, but it doesnt include
verandahs, pergolas and garden structures,
including shade houses and gazebos.

Your plans therefore need to provide for at least two

car parking spaces, with an additional car parking
space where a house has five bedrooms or more.
There are also some specific conditions that apply to
your proposed design for your driveway.
These include:

Depending on the type of house youre proposing

to build, one of three guidelines for site coverage
will apply. Your site coverage is limited to:

Your driveway should have a maximum

gradient of 1:5

A maximum ground floor area of 40% of the site

Your proposed driveway shouldnt be located

within 1.5 metres of a street tree or any tree that
youre going to retain on the site

A maximum ground floor area and impervious

driveways/car parking spaces of 50% of the
site area
A maximum floor area of 50% of the site for
two storey houses

Your proposed driveway should also have a

maximum width of 5 metres and be narrowed to
4.5 metres at the road boundary to allow for more
landscaping in the front yard

The maximum site coverage guideline for houses

varies in some parts of the Burnside Council and
reference should be made to the Development
Plan to determine the actual maximum permissible
site coverage.

3m

4.5m Max

Road Pavement

Tree

1m
1.5m

Road Pavement

Side Entry Pit

Garages

Private Open Space

If your proposal for a new house includes an

associated garage or a carport, this component
needs be put together in a way that makes
sure that the carport or garage doesnt visually
dominate the street. This assessment applies to
both the design of the building and the way in
which it is set back on the block.

We want to make sure that home designs planned

for Burnside include sufficient private open space
for relaxation, childrens play, dining, entertainment
and storage.

Garages and carports shouldnt exceed one-third

of the width of the block, and they should also
be designed to complement your proposed
house design in terms of the materials used,
size and location.
Garages and carports as part of a new dwelling
should generally be set back a minimum 0.5
metres behind the main face of the house.
Alternatively, they may sit in line with the main
face of the house if there is a verandah, portico or
other house feature that projects further forward.
For garage and carports on corner blocks facing
the secondary street, they should be set back one
metre for single width and two metres for double
width structures. Garages and Carports facing
rear laneways should be set back by one metre.

We define private open space as the outdoor areas

that are screened from public areas or nearby homes,
have access to sunlight and are directly accessible
from a living area in the house.
An area equivalent to at least half the total floor area
of the proposed house design should be set aside for
private open space.
There are also two specific conditions that apply to
your proposed design for your private open space.
These are as follows:
Your space should include at least one area
capable of containing a rectangle of at least 5
metres by 8 metres. Its also worth noting that
slightly smaller proportions of 4 metres by 6
metres apply in Residential Policy Areas 1, 2, 3, 5,
18, 19 and 23
Any dimension to your planned space mustnt be
any shorter than 2.5 metres

Garage location creates

private courtyard area
- drive through for access.

Private outdoor living

area with sunny aspect.

Garage location and design to enhance

streetscape and building appearance.

Living area with views

to private open space
and to street

Direct relationship
between indoor and
outdoor living zones.

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Overlooking
When you submit an application to build a new
house, well assess whether the design enables
clear views from balconies, terraces, decks and
second storey windows into the private open
space and windows of neighbouring houses.

Existing dwelling

15m

We call this overlooking, and some overlooking

although not all can be considered unreasonable.

15m
15m

Where there is the potential for an unreasonable

amount of overlooking towards an adjoining
property, you may be able to address this within
your plans by:

balcony

New dwelling

Existing dwelling

Constructing a solid screen, lattice screen or

installing taller fencing;

Existing private
open space

Planting evergreen screen landscaping;

Providing frosted glass to windows up to 1.6m
in height; and/or
15m

Having windowsills at least 1.6m high

15m

15m

balcony

New dwelling

1.6m

Private
open space
New dwelling

15m

Existing dwelling

High level window sills to minimise overlooking.

1.6m

Private
open space
15m

New dwelling

Existing dwelling

Opaque glazing to minimise overlooking.

Overshadowing

Energy Efficiency

New houses, particularly two storey homes

located near boundaries often overshadow
adjoining properties, particularly during the winter
months when the sun is lower in the sky.

Energy efficient building design and construction

helps to reduce your consumption of non-renewable
natural resources, limits your greenhouse gas
emissions and ultimately helps to lower the cost
of running your home. Our focus on the promotion
of energy efficient development may involve
modification of traditional design and building
practices.

This can be a concern if the private open space

or windows to living areas of these adjoining
properties are cast in shadow for long periods
of time.
Youll therefore need to check with your designer
that the plan for your new house doesnt cause
unreasonable overshadowing. We measure this
by ensuring that your design allows for:
At least three hours of sunlight to windows to
north-facing habitable rooms of an adjoining
house between 9 am and 5 pm on 21 June
(which is the winter solstice, when the sun is at
its lowest point in the horizon)
At least two hours of sunlight to at least 50% of
the main outdoor living areas of an adjoining
house between 9 am and 5 pm on 21 June

Were therefore keen to see plans for new houses

in which:
The main living areas and windows of a house,
together with deciduous trees, pergolas, eaves,
verandahs and awnings face north
Appropriately located, sized and shaded windows
and glass doors are incorporated to reduce
summer heat load and permit entry of winter sun
The location of carports, verandahs, pergolas
and awnings are located along the western side
of your house again, to provide protection to
windows from the hot afternoon sun
Solar systems have been incorporated for the
heating of water and living areas

9am
12noon
3pm

Thermally stable materials and insulation are

utilised to reduce the need for heating and cooling

Landscaping and structures are designed to

manage the microclimate of the dwelling and
reduce energy consumption

Overshadowing at 9am, 12noon and 3pm on June 21.

Southern boundary of
secluded private open space
N

Approximate angle of
sun at equinox

10

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Here are some techniques that you should consider

incorporating into the design of your house:
Houses should be sited and designed to provide
adequate thermal comfort for occupants while
minimising the need for mechanical heating and
cooling, by:

The City of Burnside through its Strategic Plan,

Vision 2020 encourages people to consider meeting
an energy efficiency level 2 stars greater than
the Building Code and we suggest you consider
proposing this to your energy consultant.
Protection from
summer sun

Incorporating external openable

windows and doors fitted with
draught control devices

Solar
collector

Attic space
facing south
Fan for air
movement

Cross
Ventilation

Designing living areas to be capable

of being closed off from other areas of
the dwelling to allow sufficient heating
and cooling

Winter sun
admitted

Insulation

Providing opportunities to vary thermal

conditions through movement of air
between rooms
The orientation and pitch of roofs should
enable the efficient use of solar collectors and
photovoltaic cells

Deciduous trees provide

shading in summer, allowing
solar heat gain in winter
Low windows facing
east and west to avoid
uncontrolled heat intake

External clothes drying areas with access to

sunlight and breezes should be provided

Solar hot water

system

Shading devices
on north facing
windows

5.5 star rating low

energy appliances

Appliances and fuel sources should be selected to

minimise energy requirements and greenhouse
gas emissions
During the assessment of your building application,
you will be required to meet the minimum
requirement for energy efficiency set in the Building
Code of Australia. To meet these requirements, a
certificate, produced by a qualified energy efficiency
consultant, should be submitted which indicates that
the building meets a minimum rating of 5 stars.
Private outdoor
space
Living areas facing
north for maximum
use of solar radiation

Passive solar
control by
pergolas and
deciduous vines

High levels of wall and

ceiling insulation
area in
permanent
shade - no
glazing

Winter

Summer

Protection of north-facing windows

Summer

Winter

11

Stormwater Management
Like energy conservation, careful consumption
of our limited water resources makes sound
environmental and economic sense. For this
reason, the City of Burnside is committed to a
Water Conservation Strategy, which is calculated
to reduce the Citys water consumption by 25%
by the year 2020 (based on 1999 levels).
Limiting the rate and volume of stormwater run-off
from residential sites helps to reduce flooding
downstream and during periods of water shortage,
enables the reuse of this precious resource.
Were therefore keen to see plans for new houses
that feature one of the following options:
Rainwater is collected from the roof into a
rainwater tank, with excess water directed to
the Councils stormwater system
An in-ground soakage pit or sump that has
been designed to receive stormwater
Soft landscaped areas that are designed to
absorb runoff
For new houses, there is a requirement that a
1,000 litre rainwater tank is installed. This needs
to be plumbed into the laundry and toilet facilities
of the house.

You can play your part by incorporating the

following features during your design and building
phases:
Insulating hot water pipes (this avoids wasting
water and power while waiting for hot water to
flow through)
Fitting low-flow water regulators (e.g. aerators)
on kitchen and bathroom taps
Installing a water efficient showerhead
Installing a dual flush toilet/s (waterless toilet
systems are also available)
Purchasing water efficient appliances
(e.g. front loading washing machines)
Keeping areas of lawn to a minimum and
planting drought-resistant species
Selecting appropriate native and exotic
species of trees, shrubs and groundcovers,
bearing in mind their water requirements,
height and spread, colour, productive capacity
and influence on the thermal characteristics of
the house
Locating and grouping plants with similar
watering needs to reduce water use
Setting up an irrigation system to minimise
water wastage
Maximising water retention within gardens by
directing run-off from hard impervious areas
and water tanks to vegetation
Minimising the area of land covered by
impervious materials such as concrete or
paving blocks
Using alternative materials to concrete or
paving blocks such as permeable pavers

12

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Landscaping
Landscaping is a very important aspect of the
overall site design as it can contribute significantly
to streetscape character as well as improving
site amenity.
New house development should incorporate
appropriate landscaping which should be
designed to:
Retain existing protected or significant trees on
site and remnant vegetation where possible
Ensure that retained significant trees are
protected and not damaged during construction
Assist in visual enhancement of the house and
its locality.
Promote optimal micro-climate conditions in
and around the house (for example, by use
of deciduous plants to allow penetration of
heat from the sun in winter, and provide
shade in summer)
Screen, shade and enhance the appearance of
car parking areas
Promote conservation of water and biodiversity
The selection of plant species should, where
appropriate, include:
Species indigenous to the local area, or others
which will reinforce a sense of place
Trees in scale with houses on the land
Taller tree species in areas where such trees are
absent or scarce
If your landscape scheme includes the retention of
one or more regulated or significant trees, you will
need to ensure that your new house is sited an
appropriate distance from the tree, so that
the building does not damage the tree or its
root system.
Councils Development Officers will provide
guidance in relation to appropriate distances and
management techniques that you can use to
safeguard the trees during construction of your
new home.

13

The Final Product

After taking into consideration all of these
requirements, your development application
should be ready to be submitted to Council.

Streetscape
Elevation

N
NEW
DWELLING

EXISTING
DWELLING

EXISTING
DWELLING

7m

Site plan
5m

14

6m

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Taking The Next Steps

Please make sure that youve read and, where
you need to, have taken action over the key
points highlighted within our planning guide
booklet Making Plans.
Once youre happy that your plans are ready to
be submitted, youll then need to complete and
return a Development Application Form.
These are available from the Council, or you
can download a copy from our website at
www.burnside.sa.gov.au
You can apply for both Planning and Building
Consent in a single application or apply only
for Planning Consent. For Planning Consent,
well require a completed Development
Application Form submitted with three copies
of the following documents:

Current Certificate of Title

for the Block
This is to ensure that we aware of any
easements or encumbrances on the allotment
that may affect your development.

A Site Plan
A site plan is a map of how the house sits on the
block, and should be drawn to a scale of at least 1:500
(recommended scale 1:200 generally A3 size) and
should include the following information:
The dimensions of the block and its area
The location of any existing buildings on the site,
indicating whether they will be demolished
and/or retained
The location of existing buildings on adjoining
properties, indicating their distance to
property boundaries
The position of the proposed house and any other
proposed buildings or structures (sheds, verandahs
etc.) on the site, showing distances to all boundaries
The existing contours of the land, together with the
finished floor levels of the proposed house in relation
to the adjoining street, the location and value of the
sites temporary bench mark (TBM) and the details of
any cut and/or fill proposed
The position of any protected or Significant trees on
the site or on a neighbours land, indicating whether
they will be removed or retained
The position of existing and proposed landscaping,
including proposed trees, shrubs and groundcovers to
be planted (i.e. a landscaping schedule)
The location and detail of any proposed
retaining walls
The method of site drainage and stormwater disposal
The vehicle driveway points from roads onto
the site
The on site car parking spaces for occupants and
visitors and the location of any driveways and the
method of surfacing
The location of existing street trees, poles, signs and/
or bus stops adjacent to the site
The type, height and construction of any boundary
and internal fencing that may be erected including any
retaining walls

15

Site Analysis Plan

The site analysis plan is different to the site plan
as it details the key elements of not only the site
but also highlights other features outside the site.
These features could include, amongst others; the
location and height of adjacent buildings; existing
vegetation including any protected or Significant
trees; the contours; natural drainage lines; services
connections; the location of street trees; stobie
poles and crossovers in the road; reserves;
prevailing wind patterns; type, height and condition
of boundary fences; significant views and site
viewpoints; significant views by neighbours;
external major noise sources (e.g. air conditioning);
and so on.

A Proposed dwelling
N

B Existing garage

1 Secluded private open space

2 Public transport 200m

1
8

3 School 500m

4 Garden shed
5 Carport
6 Two-story dwelling

7 Single-story dwelling

1
4

8 Swimming pool
(or other external active
recreation area)

B
4
1

7
3

Existing trees to be retained

Vehicular site entry

Neighbourhood windows
facing site

Views (e.g.to hills or city skyline)

Noise (e.g.from pool area)

16

Prevailing winds
Contours

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Floor Plan
The floor plan shows the layout of your house, and
should be drawn to a scale of at least 1:100 and
include the layout of each floor level of the house
and all proposed rooms and their intended use.

Elevation Plan
The elevation plan details what the house will
look like from all sides, and should be drawn to a
scale of at least 1:100 and include the following
information:

to be undertaken to protect the long term health of

the tree; in terms of both the design of the building,
including footings, as well as the protection of the
tree during the construction phase.
If you are lodging an application for both planning
and building consent, in addition to the above,
we will require the following information to be
submitted to ensure a complete assessment is
undertaken:

Final Working Drawings

Three copies of each must be provided, including:

Elevations of each side of the proposed house

to be built (front, side and rear views)
The height of the proposed house (relative
to natural ground level) to both the eave
overhang and the ridge (top of roof)
The dimensions of proposed doors, windows
and eave overhangs
The roof slope and design
The proposed building materials, finishes and
colours to be used on all external surfaces
(walls, roof, doors, windows etc)

Streetscape Elevation
The streetscape elevation details what the house
will look like from the street and gives a clear
indication of how the new house relates to the
adjoining buildings in the street

Energy Efficiency
Statement
This is a statement of the range of techniques
used in the design of the house and site, to
promote energy efficiency. The statement should
include details of the orientation of the house,
the nature and location of landscaping, details of
window shading and thermal insulation used.

Arborists Report
If you have a protected or Significant tree located
within your site, and your new house impacts
the tree, you will need to submit a report from a
qualified Arborist outlining what measures need

Floor plan, Site plan, Elevations, Sections,

Other relevant details

General Specifications /
Manufacturers Details
Documentation must outline the specifications of
materials and standards of workmanship meeting the
requirements of the SA Housing Code or the BCA.

Wet Area Specifications

Wet area specifications must be provided for all
toilets and wet areas, and must show details including
water proofing of walls, floors and wall-floor junctions,
grades of floors to traps and shower set downs.

Energy Efficiency
Assessment
Any new dwelling must be assessed to determine
its rating according to the nationwide five star energy
rating scheme. This can be done by an accredited
assessor, or by providing detail in accordance with
the Building Code of Australia or SA Housing Code
deemed to satisfy provisions including:
Building materials (roof, external walls, floors,
added insulation)
Area of glazing for each elevation
Percentage of glazing to total floor area
Building sealing (air-conditioning, chimneys &
flues, external doors)
Air movement & ventilation
A new dwelling must achieve a minimum four
star rating

17

Truss Calculations
When trusses are used in a building the application
must include the truss manufacturers computer
data calculations, a plan of the truss layout and
design, and fixing and bracing details and a
design certificate.

Location of Smoke
Detectors
New homes are required to fit a 240 volt
mains powered smoke alarm. It is important
that your smoke alarm is installed correctly
and in an appropriate location. Depending
on the layout of your home, it may be
necessary to install more than one smoke
alarm to provide sufficient warning.

Indemnity Insurance
A certificate of builders indemnity insurance is
required to be provided when a licensed builder,
a licensed trades person or a licensed building
supervisor has been engaged for construction
work valued at $12,000 or more. Indemnity
insurance covers non-completion of building work
and/or failure to rectify faulty work if the contractor
dies, disappears or is declared bankrupt. Owner/
builders are required by law to meet the same
legislative requirements relating to building work
as licensed building contractors. These obligations
are outlined in a Planning SA booklet As an Owner
Builder, what are my responsibilities under the
Development Act 1993?.

18

Roof, Wall, Floor and

Framing Details
The roof, wall, floor and framing details must be
drawn to a minimum scale of 1:100 and show:
Wall, roof and floor framing layout, nominating
all member sizes and positions
Wall bracing details and tie down details, in
accordance with the designated wind speed
Where roof trusses are used: roof truss layout
and manufacturers bracing and tie down
specifications are also required
Where steel framing is used: certification by an
independent engineer is also required

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Sections
Sections will be required where it is necessary to
clarify methods of construction or design. This will
be determined by the designer or architect, or may
be requested by the Councils assessment officer.
Sectional (cut away) drawings must be drawn
at a minimum scale of 1:50 to clarify methods
of construction or design. The drawings should
show detail of how the structure is fixed to the
foundation and attached to other buildings.

19

Structural Engineers
Report

Water Efficiency Rainwater

Tanks

A structural engineers report will be required

where footings are used, or where any building
component is outside of the standard design
requirements. The structural engineers report must
address issues including:

From 1 July 2006, an additional water supply must

supplement mains water:
For all new dwellings; and for extensions and
additions which include a toilet, laundry or
water heater

Soil quality (bore log)

Footing plan
Wind speed
Earthquake assessment
Structural calculations (e.g. beams, lintels etc)
Contour plan

Rainwater from a minimum of 50m2 of the roof

catchment area must be collected by gutters and
downpipes; stored in a rainwater tank with a
minimum capacity of 1 kilolitre (1000 litres) and
plumbed to a toilet; water heater; or all cold water
laundry outlets
If the roof catchment area of the new building is
less than 50m2, all run-off from the roof must be
collected, stored & plumbed

Siteworks & drainage

Site classification

Construction Industry
Training Board Levy
Where the estimated value of building or
construction work exceeds $15,000 the project
owner is required to pay the Construction Industry
Training Board Levy. The levy (0.25% of building
work value) is used to finance training schemes in
the building industry. Payment can be made to the
Council, or to the Construction Industry Training
Board. In this instance, a receipt of payment must
be supplied with your development application
to Council.

The Floor Plan / Plan View must include:

Roof layout showing catchment area and location
of downpipes and water tanks
An overflow device must be fitted to the tank
and to ensure water quality a mosquito proof,
non-degradable screen must be attached
Where multiple dwellings utilise a communal
rainwater tank, the minimum capacity of the tank
must be multiplied by the number of dwellings
contributing to it
Plumbing work must be done by a licensed plumber
and comply with AS/NZS 3500:2003, the National
Plumbing and Drainage Code and any SA variations
published by SA Water. The technical requirements of
rainwater tanks are contained in Section 14 of AS/NZS
3500:2003 and the SA Water variations.
You are encouraged to contact Councils
Development Officers prior to lodging your
application to assist with the information required.

20

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

How Much Does It Cost?

There are a number of fees associated with the
lodgement of an application for a new house.
The lodgement fee for applications for new
houses is $99.75. The planning fee is relative
to the estimated cost of the development and
the level of assessment required by Council and
other Government agencies. For new houses over
$100,000 in value, the planning fee is 0.125% of
development cost.
If we need to refer your application to a State
Government agency, such as the Country Fire
Service or Heritage SA, there is an additional fee of
$167.00 per referral.
If your application needs to be publicly notified as
Category 2 (see section under Public Notification),
we will require an additional fee of $80.00.
If the application is Category 3 an additional fee of
$300.00 is required for advertising.
If you are seeking building consent as well as
planning consent, a building fee will also be
required. The fees for a building application are
calculated based on the floor area of works
being undertaken. The fees for a house including
alterations and additions is $2.20/m.
For further information on fees, please visit
www.burnside.sa.gov.au

So What Happens After

I Lodge My Application
With Council?
Once you have lodged your application with Council
and have paid your fees, Council will acknowledge
receipt of your application in writing and will let you
know who the allocated Development Officers are.
The application will be packaged up and allocated to
a Planning Officer if the application is for planning
approval only, or to both a Planning and Building
Officer if you are seeking both planning and building
approval, within two to three days of lodgement.
Once your application has been allocated to a Planning
Officer, he or she will briefly review the file to make
sure that all of the fundamental information is included
and then undertake an inspection of the property
and the locality to visually see how your house is
going to sit within the block and how it relates to
other properties within the street. In most cases, the
Planning Officer will contact you to let you know that
they will be inspecting the property and you may wish
to meet the Planning Officer on site to explain the
details of your new house and the site.
If the Planning Officer thinks more information is
required or that there are some issues that require
resolution, he or she will advise you at the site
meeting.
Once the Planning Officer is satisfied that all of the
required information has been received, the Planning
Officer will commence assessment of the application.
One of the first steps in assessment is to determine
whether the application needs to be publicly notified.

21

Public Notification
The planning system provides an opportunity for
people who are likely to be affected by certain
kinds of development to give us their views.
State Government legislation, together with our
own guidelines, state what types of development
requires public notification. There are three
notification categories:
Category 1 Does not require public notification.
These types of applications are usually
straightforward and generally meet the guidelines
of the Citys Development Plan.
Category 2 Adjoining neighbours must be
notified by letter of the proposed development
and are provided with the opportunity to comment
to us although they have no right of appeal if we
approve the application.
Category 3 Adjoining owners and anyone
directly affected are notified by letter, as well
as the broader community through a general
advertisement in the Advertiser. Any interested
party can make comment to us on a Category
3 development. Only Category 3 development
proposals have third party appeal rights. Anyone
who raises an objection to a Development
Application can appeal to the Environment,
Resources and Development Court if we approve
the application.
Most new house applications are either Category
1 or Category 2. In some extreme circumstance,
such as new houses in the Hills Face or the
Watercourse Zone, applications may be
Category 3.
Generally speaking, if your new house is single
storey and is set back off the side and rear
boundaries of the property by at least 900mm, no
public notification is required. If your new house
is single storey and built along either a side or
rear boundary, or is two storey in height, it will be
Category 2.
Once an application is notified, any person may
lodge a written representation with Council.
The written representation must be lodged with
Council within ten (10) business days of the date
of either the letter or the advertisement.

22

What Happens When We

Receive Comments?
At the end of the public notification and consultation
process, Council forwards a copy of the written
representations received to the applicant. The
applicant has an opportunity to respond, in writing, to
the representations received, within ten (10) business
days of receipt of any written representations.
The public comments that we receive during a public
notification period undergo a review process by our
Development Officers. This process often involves
discussions with representors and the applicant to
attempt to negotiate a resolution, which may or may
not involve changes to the application.
If only minor changes are made to an application as
a result of these discussions, then the representors
are advised of the changes. If major changes to the
application are necessary, then the whole process of
public notification is undertaken again.
Its important to note that public notification is not
a popularity contest.
We may still approve a development application
after taking objections into account provided that
the application satisfies our Development Plan
guidelines. Similarly, we may refuse a development
application when it does not satisfy the Development
Plan guidelines even if there are no objections from
neighbours.
Once the applicant has responded to written
representations, including any negotiation with
representors, Planning staff undertake an assessment
of the application against the guidelines contained
in the Burnside (City) Development Plan. The
Development Plan is the only document Council
can have regard to in making its decision. This
assessment of the application takes into consideration
all legitimate planning issues, including those raised
through the public notification and consultation
process.

I want to... Build a new house in Burnside

Building Assessment
If you have lodged an application for both planning
and building consent, during the assessment of the
application by Councils Planning Officers, Councils
Building Officers will concurrently undertake an
assessment of the application against the Building
Code of Australia.
The benefits of Councils Building Officers carrying
out the assessment are:
The application can be assessed concurrently
with your planning consent, saving valuable
time;
Our overall building fees are generally more
competitive than private certifiers; and
importantly

also contains a number of Advisory Notes which

are designed to provide broad information about the
development process. You will not be able to proceed
with your development until you receive your building
consent and Development Approval.
If you lodged your application for planning and
building approval, once the decision is made on your
application, either by staff or the DAP, you will receive
a Decision Notification which highlights the decision
(Development Approval) and any conditions that may
be imposed. The Decision Notification also contains
a number of Advisory Notes which are designed to
provide broad information about the development
process. Once you receive this Development
Approval, you will be able to proceed to construct
your house!

Summary

Consistency between the planning and building

approvals is ensured removing difficulties that
may arise during the construction process.

Hopefully, this Booklet has given you a more detailed

insight into some of the main issues well consider
as we review your planning application to build a new
house in Burnside.

The Decision?

Dont forget, in addition to consulting with your

professional advisors, you can turn to our Making
Plans booklet, our website, and our regular
Development Clinics to obtain further information
and you can always call us on 08 8366 4244 if you
need further help.

Councils Development Officers will make

decisions on most Development Applications.
For more complicated or contentious
Applications, or where adjoining property
owners have outstanding or unresolved issues,
the final decision will be made by Councils
Development Assessment Panel (DAP).
If your application is to be assessed by the DAP, you
will be advised of when and where the application is
to be considered. As the DAP only meets monthly
(on the first Tuesday of the month), it is important to
understand that the overall timeframe for making a
decision may be extended.
If you lodged your application for planning approval
only, once the decision is made on your application,
either by staff or the DAP, you will receive a
Decision Notification which highlights the decision
(Development Plan Consent) and any conditions
that may be imposed. The Decision Notification

23

Civic Centre
401 Greenhill Road
Tusmore SA 5065
Telephone (08) 8366 4244
Facsimile (08) 8366 4298
www.burnside.sa.gov.au