Should I check planning requirements before buying a property?
Yes. If you are buying a property with plans to develop it, checking the planning requirements before committing to the purchase can help avoid surprises later.
A property may look suitable for your project but have planning or site constraints that limit what can actually be built. Before purchasing, it is useful to check matters such as the Crown lease, zoning, permitted development, block size, setbacks, building height, site coverage, access, easements, utilities, heritage and other site-specific requirements.
Our planning services can assist with a pre-purchase planning assessment to identify the key development opportunities and constraints of a property. This can give you a clearer understanding of whether the site is suitable for your intended project before progressing with the purchase.
Reference: ACT Planning – Get to know your block ? Understanding your block – https://www.planning.act.gov.au/community/get-to-know-your-block/understanding-your-block
Short Answer
Yes. It is strongly recommended to check the planning requirements before buying a property, particularly if you intend to develop, extend or add another dwelling. An early planning assessment can identify what the block can realistically accommodate and any constraints that may affect your plans.
Detailed Explanation
Before purchasing a property for future development, the site's development potential should be assessed against the ACT Territory Plan and Crown lease, together with any applicable zone policy, district policy, technical specifications and site-specific constraints.
ACT Planning recommends researching a block before developing, including checking its zone, Crown lease, easements, utility infrastructure, heritage considerations and other information affecting development. These matters can influence whether the intended development is permitted and the form or scale of development that may ultimately be approved. ACT Planning – Understanding your block
It is important to distinguish between owning a block where a particular land use is permitted and having a specific design approved. Development potential can depend on the detailed characteristics of the site and the proposal, so a pre-purchase assessment cannot guarantee future Development Approval.
Our planning services can undertake a pre-purchase assessment of a property against the applicable ACT planning controls and identify key opportunities, constraints and matters requiring further investigation. This can help inform the purchase decision and provide a clearer planning framework for the subsequent design.
No minimum block size does not remove the need for planning assessment.
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