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An architect or draftsperson will prepare architectural and structural drawings for a Building Permit application. 

They need to make sure the drawings include all the required details.

Site plan

The site plan has a minimum scale of 1:500.

Include the following in the site plan:

  • Boundary and dimensions of the allotments, including any easements and common land.
  • Distance to the nearest intersecting street.
  • Position and dimensions (set backs) of any existing and proposed building work in relationship to the allotment boundaries and any existing building(s).
  • North point (consistent with the title documents).
  • Stormwater drainage, including locations of downpipes, size and locations of stormwater drains and the point of connection to the lawful point of discharge.
    Note: Connecting to the Existing Storm Water Drainage System (ESWDS) is generally accepted for extensions and alterations.
  • Site contours and locations of any site cut and/or fill. Site levels of the allotment and floor levels of the building.
  • Indication of the permeable area of minimum 20% of site.
  • Location and dimensions of any car parking spaces on the allotment.
  • Size and location and type of any external screens to be provided to prevent overlooking, including overlooking arc from habitable room windows and raised open spaces (decks, balconies and so on) within a horizontal distance of 9m (measured at ground level) and within a 45 degree line of sight from 1.7m above the finished floor level.
  • Shadow diagrams for the hours of sunlight between 9am and 3pm on 22 September.
  • Location, dimensions and area of private open space
  • Details of the buildings on the adjoining allotments which may be affected by overlooking, overshadowing or the building works. Details to provide are:
    • site area and floor areas
    • front and side boundary set backs
    • position of all windows, and comment relating to the windows being habitable (this includes set backs to eave and set back to wall where adjacent to a window)
    • any north-facing windows (defined as a window with an axis perpendicular to its surface oriented north 20 degrees west to north 30 degrees east)
    • location and area of open space, private open space and recreational private open space.
  • Height of walls in relation to natural ground level.
  • Height of building in relation to natural ground level.

If there are no buildings on the allotment, indicate the vacant area.

Required drawings

In addition to the site plan, a Building Permit application must always include the following drawings:

  • structural information
  • floor plans - minimum scale 1:100 (Prepare floor plans for existing and proposed conditions. Make sure to differentiate existing conditions from proposed conditions.)
  • elevations
  • sectional drawings.

More information

For more information, contact our Building Services team at [email protected] or call (03) 9278 4999.


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