NORTHERN BEACHES COUNCIL DCP
DA PROCESS FLAWED
Flaw In Control plan
A SERIOUS flaw exists in the council’s amended Development Control Plan (DCP) regarding the basis upon which development applications will be referred for assessment to the Northern Beaches Independent Assessment Panel (NBIAP).
The DCP, effective July 8, states that an independent assessment will be required if the cost of works estimate is over $2 million and there are at least three objections.
The flaw in this process is the ability for applicants to manipulate the estimate which will result in many applications falling short of the minimum $2 million building works estimate.
Anyone objecting to an applicant's estimate is therefore denied both the ability to present issues at a Development Unit meeting and, because of the dubious cost estimate, an independent review.
In accordance with council policy, cost of works estimates are accepted on the basis that they are prepared by a “suitably qualified person“ in accordance with the council‘s policy as part of the application.
Consequently, any disparity in estimates and the vagaries of defining “suitably qualified person(s)“ raise my concerns as to the genuine usefulness of this aspect of the DCP.
Rosemary Johnson-Walker, Church Point
A SERIOUS flaw exists in the council’s amended Development Control Plan (DCP) regarding the basis upon which development applications will be referred for assessment to the Northern Beaches Independent Assessment Panel (NBIAP).
The DCP, effective July 8, states that an independent assessment will be required if the cost of works estimate is over $2 million and there are at least three objections.
The flaw in this process is the ability for applicants to manipulate the estimate which will result in many applications falling short of the minimum $2 million building works estimate.
Anyone objecting to an applicant's estimate is therefore denied both the ability to present issues at a Development Unit meeting and, because of the dubious cost estimate, an independent review.
In accordance with council policy, cost of works estimates are accepted on the basis that they are prepared by a “suitably qualified person“ in accordance with the council‘s policy as part of the application.
Consequently, any disparity in estimates and the vagaries of defining “suitably qualified person(s)“ raise my concerns as to the genuine usefulness of this aspect of the DCP.
Rosemary Johnson-Walker, Church Point
Manly Daily "Your Say" 11.08.2017