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24.01.2022 This one normally brings a smile to people's dial when they hear it ... as everyone just assumes it would have to apply. The good news is that technically speaking, the 7.5m wall height requirement specified under the Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code only applies to new houses/extensions. It does not apply when you are raising an existing house . Put another way, if you look at the 'prescribed accepted development' table in the scheme, you will see that you only need to comply with the side setbacks, the 9.5m height limit and the screening requirements to bypass triggering planning under the small lot rules . Note that you can still trigger for other reasons (like a weird and wonderful neighbourhood plan), so be sure to check any other requirements before you get too excited - Team BTP

24.01.2022 Credit where credit is due ... Council said that they were rolling out some initiatives to speed up the assessment process on house apps earlier this month (as a covid stimulus measure). At the time, we were reluctant to celebrate the news, as it is always one of those Ill believe it when I see it situations. I mean, you dont want to count your chickens before they hatch right Well, we can now say we have seen it come to fruition Kudos to council on this one, I dont know how they are doing it, but our house apps are flying through - Peta

24.01.2022 With almost 3 years of weekly videos, we have content, content and more content So in our last video for the year, we thought we would show you the different ways that you can access our back catalogue of videos. That way if you are bored over the break, if you need your town planning fix while we are MIA on the socials, or if you just want to get ahead and build your planning knowledge for 2021 ... you have the information at your fingertips - Team BTP

24.01.2022 Did you know that a DA is triggered for all house reno/extension jobs in sub precinct NPP-001 of the Sherwood Graceville District Neighbourhood Plan ... where there is an increase in GFA? GFA being gross floor area, or in super simple terms, the internal floor area less garages. This means that even if you are doing work that meets the standard character exemptions, you could still trigger an app So always double check sites in this pocket, as there are some unusual rules that apply here - Team BTP

23.01.2022 Just finished this weeks Facebook video, and couldnt help but laugh at this image right here. Anyone want to take a guess at what tomorrows video topic is - Peta

23.01.2022 We totally understand why people want to batten in under their riased house ... but this week, we look at the 2 reasons why that outcome normally isnt supported on flood affected properties in Brisbane - Team BTP

22.01.2022 #ThrowbackThursday ... back to BTP’s first Christmas party 6 years ago When we were in startup mode, and it was just Leo and I rocking it out on my lounge room floor ... aka in the BTP meeting room - Peta

21.01.2022 When a job you worked on wins, does it make you cool by association A massive congrats to all the winners at tonights state @bdaq.official awards. There were some mind blowing designs up tonight, I dont envy the judges this year - Peta @ The Build and Design Centre

19.01.2022 If a client of yours is looking to split a site, make sure they consider the footpath setup. More to the point, if the site is in a street that doesnt have any footpaths, then they can expect to receive a condition requiring the installation of a 1.2m wide footpath (at no cost to Council) as part of any approval. Alternatively, if the site is bound by an old school 1m wide footpath, they can expect to get a condition requiring the existing pathway be replaced with a new mode...rn 1.2m wide design. These are the general rules, and there are obviously some exceptions. I.e in some situations (like on major roads or near train stations), the width can increase to 1.8m etc. Or in some situations where a pathway doesnt exist, you can argue that the other side of the road is better suited to it. Just one of the many things to consider when doing a feaso for a subdivision - Team BTP See more

18.01.2022 This week, we dive into BCCs new interactive mapping program. Specifically, we look at the "why" behind the new system ... we touch on the not so great aspects that you need to mentally prepare yourself for ... and we look at the overwhelmingly super-duper new features we are in with here at BTP. Warning, it is a longer video then usual ... but ... hopefully this video will help you break down the barriers to diving in and playing with it yourself - Team BTP

18.01.2022 We thought we would use this week's text tip to give all the Designers/Architects out there a friendly reminder re height lines. No matter how small the work is (i.e. even if it is a single storey addition), Council always likes to see the 9.5m height lines shown on the elevations. This is so that they can ensure that the work isn't being built on a bucket load of fill and hence, over the threshold. So please remember to show these lines on your DA plans - Team BTP

18.01.2022 The Dwelling House Character Overlay and the Traditional Building Character Overlay both have the word "character" in them, which can lead to a lot of confusion. The Dwelling House Character Overlay enforces the residential/low scale "character" of an area. I.e. the code says you have to stay under 9.5m/2 storeys in height, and that the site can only be used by one household. The Traditional Building Character overlay, however, enforces traditional character requirements. I.e.... pitched roof forms, lightweight materials, verandahs etc. So if you see the dwelling one, dont freak out and think you are staring down the barrel of cutesy central ... it simply means that you need to comply with the height and use requirements - Team BTP

17.01.2022 With Council offering freebie prelodgements this quarter, we have seen a rush on people opting to ask questions on jobs that they may not have considered previously. I.e. jobs that are borderline and that are not normally worth risking the money or time on. As a result, we have been getting this question quite a lot with regard to plans The reality is that we can lodge the request with as little or as much info as you like It could be as simple as an aerial photo with some notations on it, it can be full plans or it could be anything in between. However, the more info/detail you give Council, the more detailed the feedback will be (aka the more guidance you will get). So it is worth putting at least a little effort into what you provide, to ensure you get decent feedback to work with - Team BTP

17.01.2022 In this week’s video, we introduce you to BCC's new Development I system the replacement for the application search function in PD Online Specifically, we look at why they overhauled the old system, how to access it and how to navigate around it. So you can show clients what is happening in their area (to help with their decision making process) and/or find applications to help support your case for a proposal - Team BTP

17.01.2022 Council released info on their economic recovery initiatives yesterday, which included waiving fees for certain planning applications in this quarter. While this is obviously amazing news, there are a few things to note before you get too excited. Firstly, as it reads at the moment, the fee waivers only apply to new houses AND house extensions with more than four triggers/components. Aka "not minor" development as per the fee schedule. As a heads up ... 95% of the house reno ...applications we lodge have four or less triggers (once you take out the exempt components). Hence, as it stands, they wouldnt qualify #sorry. Next, partial demolition fees on a reno job are not covered by the waiver. Last but not least, you dont get meeting minutes with the freebie prelodgements. Most people choose to go down the paid prelodgment route over the freebie call centre style advice, because they want a formal record to refer back to. Hence, we think most people will continue to opt for the paid option on this one. For more info, go to the BCC website and search economic recovery initiatives - Bee

16.01.2022 We love seeing projects come to life Thanks for the tag Jamin Design Group - Team BTP

16.01.2022 Did you hear the news ... BCC have just introduced a 100% fee waiver for minor domestic projects lodged between the first of October and the end of the year This will capture those jobs with 4 or less planning triggers which missed out under the current waivers. Warning, you cant withdraw an application just for the purpose of relodging to get the waiver ... and any partial demo fees still apply - Team BTP

16.01.2022 With today being Councils last day in the office, we wanted to take a moment to say thanks to the BCC DA peeps for everything they have done this year No one can deny the fact that they have stepped up a notch this year with the covid stimulus measures, and reduced turn around times. We have received a ridonk number of approvals over the past few weeks, and lodged an even crazier number of apps ... so we can only imagine the chaos they would have faced in the lead up to Chrissy from all the planners in Brissy Enjoy the break peeps, and we look forward to doing it all with you again next year - Bee and Peta #Gratitude #CreditWhereCreditIsDue

15.01.2022 Mmmm ... looks like there may be a delay with this week’s Friday Facebook video Apparently recording in a hot car between meetings isn’t going to work today - Peta

15.01.2022 In last weeks video, we mentioned the fact that we felt that there was a tidal wave of applications on the horizon for planners in Brissy ... a consideration that may push people to lodge sooner rather then later on upcoming apps. Well, I couldnt help but laugh when we ran our monthly stats this week and saw the results. As you can see, we discovered that our initial enquiries are up just a smidge .... By that, I mean that the sites we have run through the automated site information tool (that we nickname Charlie), have more than doubled on the previous month Not only that, but we basically tripled our normal load for this time of year. If you add on an extra boost from this weeks fee waiver news to boot, its super duper exciting to think about what is coming our way . I think it is fair to say the construction industry is in for one heck of a ride this year - Peta #BringItOnBaby #BuildersGetReady

15.01.2022 When you develop a site for a higher use, you inevitably increase the amount of hardstand and hence, stormwater runoff. If the site you are looking at slopes down towards the road frontage, then you can normally just discharge that additional runoff via gravity to the kerb and channel. However, if the site slopes away from the street, then you may have a show stopping problem on your hands. Put simply, if you cant connect to an appropriately sized pipe that is in good workin...g order at the rear of your site ... or ... if you cant get the neighbours consent to pipe through their yard to a pipe in their property or the kerb/channel in front of theirs site ... or ... if you cant carry out some small scale earthworks to regrade the slope of your site to flow to your kerb and channel ... then you may find yourself up a certain creek without a paddle. Yes, sometimes the civil engineers can work their magic and come up with creative solutions. However, often the solution just simply doesnt exist. So please please please do not underestimate the power that stormwater can have over the development potential on a site - Team BTP See more

14.01.2022 People be like I’m so sorry, please ignore the mess as I enter their home and walk past the kids homework spread across the table, or past the pile of washing ... I be like trust me, you have nothing on some of the houses I go into Oddly, I get a sick kick out of going into houses like these. If only the walls could talk on some of these 100 plus year old girls ... the tales they would tell about how we as a city used to live (especially in the first developed inner city pockets) would our minds - Peta

14.01.2022 Last week we were asked "how can we make these plans better for you". Lets be real, you dont need to make your plans "planner friendly" ... but we would suggest that doing so will help speed up the assessment process and reduce the number of unnecessary questions ... which is obviously in your/the clients best interest. So this week, we share our number one tip for how to make demo plans more "planner friendly" - Team BTP

14.01.2022 Goodbye Zoom and hello real world presos ... oh how I have missed this stuff - Peta

13.01.2022 This week, we have deviated from the general educational content by recording a message for our clients. Specifically, with Christmas fast approaching, we look at when you need to "give us the go-ahead" on a job in order to beat the holidays/to qualify for the last remaining fee waivers - Team BTP

12.01.2022 These days, letters of support are becoming more and more common. So this week, we look at four tips for approaching the neighbours. Hint ... it involves getting the boxing gloves on Kidding, we are all about the rainbows and luv here - Team BTP

11.01.2022 This year, Council will officially be MIA from COB on Wednesday the 23rd of December, until Monday the 11th of January. However, it is worth noting that some AM's (Assessment Managers) have already started their break, and some will extend beyond the 11th. So you can expect a little bit of variation in the week either side - Team BTP

11.01.2022 Uh oh spaghettio ... with Peta being MIA yesterday with a stomach bug, we missed this week’s Monday text tip Never fear though, we will make up for it now This question just came up on a job, so we thought we would share the information with you. So, what is the question you ask? Can you put a security gate on the driveway at the front of a unit complex? Short answer, nope Why? Well you need to make sure that you have 24/7 unrestricted access to the visitor parking bays... and having a security gate on the driveway messes with that plan. See, if you have a gate there, visitors will be forced to pull into the crossover or double park in the street while they wait for their friends to come down and let them in. Both of which have the potential to block pedestrian movements, prevent access/egress for other residents and to cause car accidents in the main road etc - Team BTP #ComputerSaysNo See more

10.01.2022 A new bar has been set for prelodgement meetings ... introducing the prelodgement party Let’s be honest, it isn’t the same as seeing the Council peeps face to face, but it def makes things more exciting on our side of the camera A big shout out to the New Style Development crew for coming up with this one - Peta

10.01.2022 Before you start a new job, it is always wise to take a look at any existing driveways. If the driveway is to be retained as part of the new work ... AND ... if the flares on the edge of the crossover nudge over the side boundary alignment/into the land in front of the neighbours property ... THEN ... there is a good chance you will be asked to rip it up and replace it as part of the proposed works (to remove the unlawful encroachment) - Team BTP

10.01.2022 Debbie Downer is out and Positive Pete is in .... this week we look at the feel good news released for fees the coming financial year - Team BTP

09.01.2022 With the on peoples lately, we have had a lot of questions about extending the currency period on potential applications. That is, extending the lifespan on the DA if things dont go to plan. In super duper simple terms, provided the rules havent changed drastically since your approval (i.e. provided you arent seeking approval for something that is now taboo) ... and .... provided you can show that you are serious about doing the work (i.e that you arent extending just for the sake of extending, that you have an action plan in place) ... then Council is normally happy to extend the approval by 1-2 years - Team BTP

09.01.2022 A massive thanks to Mick and the @buildingaaa crew for letting me crash their team building event last night. I can definitely say I have a new appreciation for the theatrics and hidden messaging behind champagne - Peta @ Vaquero Dining

09.01.2022 The pre 1911 question is coming up more and more frequently these days. Noting that a house can be pre 1911 and NOT shown in the pre 1911 overlay . In dating the house, DO NOT rely on information contained on realestate.com style websites . This info is (more often than not) hearsay, and often proven wrong . We had a perfect example of this last week on a site in Auchenflower. In that situation, the listing said it was built in the 1930s. However, a review of the electoral records confirmed it was in fact there in 1914. So the moral of the story is, dont get too excited when you read a later date in an online listing. You need to dig a bit deeper than that - Team BTP

08.01.2022 Whoopsie daisy ... with all the meetings yesterday, we didnt get a chance to post this weeks Monday text tip Dont fret though, we havent forgotten . So whats on the cards this week you ask? Well, this week we wanted to give you a heads up that sun shadow diagrams are coming back into vogue. In other words, Council is asking for them more and more. Particularly on jobs where we are pushing the height requirements. Why? Well if you do them for both the proposed scenario... and the "as of right alternative", you can compare the two to clearly show (to the average person) what the "additional impact" is. Ideally, when you put them side by side, the difference isnt visible to the human eye. Or better still, the proposed scenario reduces the impacts on external parties. Having these images makes it easier for the public to understand the impacts and hence, it reduces the ongoing complaints for Council. So keep that in mind, as it may come up on future jobs - Team BTP

07.01.2022 Earlier today we were asked "how do you tell if a dwelling was built in or before 1946?". It was one of those moments where you realise that what you think is common knowledge, isnt such. So we thought we would share the answer with you in this weeks Monday text tip. In short, the first port of call is always to compare the 1946 Council aerial photo against the 2012 Council aerial photo (in the interactive mapping program). If you see the same roof form/shape (or part of it)..., then that suggests the house is pre 1947 in construction. Be warned though, the cut off is December 31 1946, and the aerial was taken earlier that year. So there is always a chance that construction started between the photo date and the end of the year (the cut off point). So to be sure (particularly if the house has pre 47 characteristics), you then need to hit up the Qimagery photos, detail plans and Council building records (as a start) to look for more evidence - Team BTP

07.01.2022 A massive (and belated) congratulations to all the finalists and winners at this year’s @hia_au Housing Awards Not going to lie, it was especially great to see a few of our clients walk away with awards on the night #WinnerWinnerChickenDinner - Team BTP @ Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

07.01.2022 Did you know that Google Street View has a timeline feature ... i.e that you can "go back in time" on a site to find different photo angles and/or to see how things have changed over time? If not, then this weeks video is for you - Team BTP

06.01.2022 This "issue" reared its head while we were playing catch up on the enquiries on the weekend. So we thought we would use today's Monday Text Tip as a way to share the learnings Long story short, the clause in the scheme which protects pre 47 houses references their construction date only ... and not the date that they were built on the subject site. This means that houses built elsewhere before 1947 and relocated to a TBC site at a later date, are still protected. Building on the video from a couple of weeks back, this is yet another reason why you can’t always rely on the 1946 aerial to establish whether a house is protected - Team BTP

06.01.2022 How many consultants does it take to ... plan a reno Well today there was the designer, the structural engineer, the planner, the head builder ... you get the idea, let’s just say a loooooot of people for one site meeting #LightbulbJoke

06.01.2022 Recently we have seen a shift in the way that reno/ext to house applications in the biodiversity overlay are being assessed. Put simply, the the future impacts on all trees within the DFP are now being considered at DA stage. Which has a flow on impact to the shape/size of the DFP and the level of information required on these apps. Check out this weeks video for more info - Team BTP

05.01.2022 This week we look at why "oh, but there is plenty of on street parking available" means nada to us planners. In other words, why that statement wont be the silver bullet in your development - Team BTP

04.01.2022 Like the medical profession, the town planning proffesion has evolved over time. There are now practices/things that we as planning professionals look back on and think "what on earth were we thinking, why did we ever let that happen" In this weeks video we look at what this means for you and your projects - Team BTP

04.01.2022 This week we jump behind the computer and look at what a stepped road frontage (aka road widening) means for your jobs - Team BTP

03.01.2022 The fallout from covid hasnt even passed, yet we are already seeing changes to the way people are designing their renos here in Brisbane. This week, we look at some of the trends that are already emerging as a result. A big shout out to Polina Radchenko Interior Design for sharing these insights with us - Team BTP

03.01.2022 When doing a raise/build under reno on a pre 47 house, make sure you consider any demo associated with the attachment points on the lower level. We often see people extend the new lower level out to the side for the purpose of a garage. Being in a character area, they have to put a pitched roof on the side projecting portion. However, they often fail to consider the overlap between the pitched garage roof and the cladding on the side of the upper level (aka the original house...). You either need to show the removal of the cladding at the roof attachment point in the DA plans ... OR ... you need to notate the plans up to make it clear that the new roof has to attach over (aka tack onto) the cladding to avoid the demo trigger. The first option is normally less work for the builder and hence, saves money at the construction stage. The second option sometimes means you can avoid the demo component and hence $944 in extra DA fees at the planning stage #ItsYourChoice - Team BTP See more

02.01.2022 Why does A012.1 of the Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code require an extra parking space forward of a garage? If people followed Marie Kondos methods, there wouldnt be a need for this rule. The reality is that we all have more stuff then we need, and not enough space to store it. So over time, garages progressively fill up with household possessions ... in turn, pushing the vehicles onto the street. This requirement is designed to ensure that where sites have narrow frontages and where on street parking is limited, that people have at least one space on site to park if their garages are full. Logical right - Team BTP

02.01.2022 Times are changing! This week we look at why we are flipping the age old approval process on its head, and recommending people now seek approval for reduced setbacks via the planning process rather then the relax/siting variation process - Team BTP

02.01.2022 This week we answer a short and sharp question ... Can Council control the colour/s that I paint my house - Team BTP

02.01.2022 Well ... life at the BTP office just got a little more interesting If you start to see me plump up over the next few weekly videos, you will know why - Peta #SurpriseDelivery #NoEkkaNoWorries

01.01.2022 Why does the scheme favour recessed garages, low/transparent front boundary fencing, and easily identifiable entries? Well for one thing, CPTED (also known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)! In super simple terms, if someone in the street is in trouble, solid garage doors on the front boundary, high/solid fences and confusing door locations make it hard for people to seek help or assistance. So CPTED helps us create warm/fuzzy places where people subconsciously feel safe to live - Team BTP #UnderstandingTheWhy

01.01.2022 When you have a small lot with two frontages (i.e. a corner lot), primary and secondary frontages can be a make or break on a project. I.e they can determine whether you end up with a standard house design or a super duper skinny house under the acceptable outcomes. Having seen a couple of people get caught out on this recently, we decided that this week we would talk about how to determine what the primary and secondary frontage is on a site - Team BTP

01.01.2022 Time flies when you are having fun right Its crazy to think that on this day 6 years ago, I was sitting on my study floor ... with laptop resting on my lap (because I didnt yet have a desk), ready to start the adventure. Its been one heck of an exciting roller coaster ride, and I have to say a massive thanks to everyone that has joined us on the journey so far Every single person we have interacted with over the last 6 years (be it regular clients, one off clients, council peeps, specialists, mentors, social media peeps etc), has contributed to our adventure. Heres hoping the years to come are full of even more fun, excitement and most importantly for me, growth and learning - Peta #BTPVersary