Council Approvals: Who You Need and What Each Consultant Does
Planning a new structural steel building often involves more than design and construction. Depending on your project, you may need to work with council, certifiers, engineers, planners and other consultants before construction can begin.
Understanding who does what, when they need to be involved and how their work connects can help reduce delays, avoid unnecessary redesign and create a clearer pathway through approvals.
At TechSpan, we help define the structural requirements early through our Concept. Configure. Construct. approach. While we don’t replace the consultants or authorities responsible for planning and building approvals, we work alongside them to help keep the structural scope coordinated throughout the project.
Who Might Be Involved in Your Building Approval?
The consultants required will depend on your location, site, proposed building use and approval pathway.
For a larger industrial, agricultural, aviation or community building, your project team may include a town planner, building designer or architectural draftsperson, structural engineer, civil engineer, certifier and builder.
Getting the right people involved early can help identify planning, design and compliance requirements before they become costly changes later in the project.
What Does a Town Planner Do?
A town planner helps determine how planning controls apply to your proposed development and which approval pathway may be appropriate.
Their role can include:
- Reviewing zoning and applicable planning controls.
- Identifying relevant development requirements.
- Advising on the likely planning approval pathway.
- Preparing or coordinating planning documentation.
- Working with council and other consultants during the application process.
- Identifying potential planning issues early.
For more complex developments, involving a town planner early can help establish what is achievable on the site before the building design progresses too far.
What Does a Building Designer or Architectural Draftsperson Do?
A building designer or architectural draftsperson develops the drawings and documentation that communicate the design of your proposed building.
Depending on the project, this can include:
- Site plans.
- Floor plans.
- Elevations and sections.
- Building dimensions and layouts.
- Door, window and access locations.
- Documentation required to support planning and building approvals.
These drawings also provide an important reference point for engineers, certifiers, builders and other consultants working on the project.
What Does a Structural Engineer Do?
A structural engineer is responsible for designing and verifying the structural elements required for the building to perform safely.
This can include assessing structural loads and designing elements such as columns, rafters, bracing, connections and foundations in accordance with the requirements applicable to the project.
Factors such as building size, use, site conditions and Australian wind requirements can all influence the structural design.
The building’s intended use and NCC building classification may also influence the requirements that need to be considered during design and approval.
At TechSpan, structural engineering forms part of the coordinated structural building solution, helping ensure the design, engineering and manufacturing requirements are aligned before fabrication.
What Does a Civil Engineer Do?
A civil engineer may be required to address the site and civil infrastructure associated with your development.
Depending on the project, their involvement may include:
- Stormwater and drainage design.
- Site levels and earthworks.
- Pavements and vehicle access.
- Civil infrastructure.
- Coordination with geotechnical information.
- Other site-specific engineering requirements.
The extent of civil engineering required will depend on the site, development and requirements of the relevant approval authority.
What Does a Building Certifier Do?
A building certifier assesses building work against the applicable legislative and technical requirements within their area of responsibility.
Depending on the project and approval pathway, a certifier may be involved in reviewing documentation, issuing relevant certificates and undertaking required inspections throughout construction.
Getting the certifier involved at the appropriate stage can help identify documentation or compliance requirements before construction begins.
What Is a Principal Certifier?
In NSW, a Principal Certifier is appointed to oversee certain compliance requirements during construction.
Their role can include:
- Carrying out or coordinating required inspections.
- Monitoring compliance with relevant approval conditions.
- Reviewing required documentation.
- Ensuring required certification is provided.
- Assessing requirements associated with the Occupation Certificate at completion.
A registered certifier may be appointed as the Principal Certifier, or this role may be undertaken by the relevant council depending on the project.
What Does a Builder Do?
The builder is responsible for managing and delivering the construction works on site.
Depending on the delivery model, their responsibilities can include:
- Coordinating trades and subcontractors.
- Managing the construction program.
- Building in accordance with approved drawings and engineering.
- Managing site safety.
- Coordinating materials and deliveries.
- Managing quality and construction sequencing.
- Working with consultants and certifiers throughout construction.
For TechSpan projects, we can work directly with your nominated builder or help connect you with one of our Builder Partners where appropriate.
What Is TechSpan’s Role?
TechSpan’s role is to help bring the structural building solution together.
Through our 3C Advantage, we work through your building requirements, site constraints and structural considerations early, helping create a clearer pathway from initial concept through to manufacture and construction.
Depending on the project and delivery scope, TechSpan can coordinate:
- Structural building design.
- Structural engineering.
- Structural steel detailing.
- Structural steel manufacture.
- Roofing and wall cladding.
- Doors and windows within our agreed building scope.
- Rainwater goods to ground level.
- Coordination with your builder and relevant project consultants.
Where required, we can also help coordinate civil and concrete design requirements and connect you with appropriate consultants or construction partners.
Our role isn’t to replace your town planner, certifier or council. It’s to make sure the structural component of your project is properly considered and coordinated as part of the wider project.
When Should You Start the Approval Process?
Ideally, planning and approval requirements should be considered before the structural design is locked in.
Understanding your site’s planning controls, building use, building classification, access requirements and other constraints early can help avoid designing a building that later needs significant changes to obtain approval.
This is particularly important for larger or more complex structural steel buildings where site constraints, operational requirements and compliance considerations can have a significant influence on the final design.
Do You Need Council Approval for a Shed or Structural Steel Building?
Whether council or another form of approval is required depends on the project, location, building use, size and applicable planning controls.
A machinery shed on a rural property, for example, may have different requirements from a warehouse, manufacturing facility, aircraft hangar or community building.
Rather than assuming a project will or won’t require approval, it’s worth establishing the applicable pathway early with the relevant council, certifier or planning consultant.
Why Early Coordination Matters
Approvals become much harder when the building design, structural engineering and consultant requirements are developed independently.
Getting the right people involved early can help:
- Identify site and planning constraints sooner.
- Establish the appropriate approval pathway.
- Reduce unnecessary redesign.
- Improve coordination between consultants.
- Align structural documentation with the wider project.
- Give builders better information before construction.
- Reduce the risk of issues emerging later in the project.
This is one of the reasons early coordination sits at the heart of TechSpan’s Concept. Configure. Construct. approach.
Talk with our team about your project
Frequently Asked Questions About Council & Building Approvals
Who do I need to speak to first about council approval?
This will depend on the project. For some developments, speaking with a town planner or council early can help establish the relevant planning controls and likely approval pathway before detailed design begins.
Does TechSpan organise council approval?
TechSpan supports the structural component of your project and works alongside the consultants involved in the wider approval process. Depending on your project and delivery pathway, we can also help connect you with appropriate consultants and Builder Partners.
Do I need a structural engineer for a steel building?
Structural engineering is an important part of larger structural steel building projects. The structural design needs to account for the building, its intended use, site conditions, loads and applicable engineering requirements.
What’s the difference between a certifier and a Principal Certifier?
A certifier assesses aspects of building work against applicable requirements and can undertake various certification functions. In NSW, the Principal Certifier is appointed to perform specific statutory functions during construction and at completion.
Does every shed need council approval?
No single answer applies to every shed. Approval requirements depend on factors including location, planning controls, building size, intended use and the proposed development. Establishing these requirements early is important before committing to a final building design.
Can TechSpan work with my existing builder and consultants?
Yes. TechSpan regularly works with builders, consultants and project teams to coordinate the structural component of larger building projects.
Planning a New Building?
The earlier you understand your site, building requirements and approval pathway, the easier it is to make informed decisions before design and construction progress.
Whether you’re planning an industrial facility, agricultural building, aircraft hangar or community project, our team can help you define the structural requirements and understand what needs to happen next.