The proposed Design and Place SEPP will require that developments that are three or more storeys, open space over 1000 square metres, and precincts and significant development, are designed by suitably qualified design professionals, particularly where design has a high impact on the environment or community due to its scale or future population.
Qualified designers are defined by cl.50 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (EP&A Regulation). The EP&A Regulation identifies the requirement for qualified designers in cl.50(1A) in relation to SEPP 65. The requirement for qualified designers is also identified in SEPP (Educational Establishments and Child Care Facilities) 2017 (Education SEPP). The Design and Place SEPP proposes aligning the existing requirements for qualified designers with the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020.
To ensure places and spaces are designed by suitably qualified design professionals, the Design and Place SEPP proposes that:
— a registered architect (qualified designer, same definition as presently used) will be required for all buildings with three (3) or more storeys, and in the case of multi-residential buildings, four (4) dwellings .
The BDAA believes that this proposal will further prevent qualified and experienced building designers from continuing to practice on projects they have worked on throughout their entire careers.
I am an accredited building designer and have been designing medium density developments for over thirty years in the Shoalhaven area in NSW. I have been awarded many awards over the years for this type of development and would find this extremely prohibitive to my long standing building design business. This is not right and needs to be fought. I would have designed over 40 multi residential developments of 4 or more over the last 30 years and would be more than happy to have them scrutinised by any qualified building professional with regard to design credibility.
I think this is overkill. I could understand a four-storey limitation maybe but three storeys is a bit silly. I wonder where a split level home would stand?
Furthermore, If im doing a row of identical two-storey townhouses why would four be the limit? they are identical… what is the difference between 4 and 5 dwellings if they all comply with the site?
Does this includes a 3 story Class 1a ( single residence) ? – if so we are all in trouble
This is being pushed by architects who are scared that registered building designers are being sought out to do this type of work! Pure arrogance & discrimination by architects!
I’m only new to this industry, and it does concern me that I will be limited, especially after a lot of research as to whether do Building Design or Architecture. I get that a limit to the design an issue as to levels of qualifications, but at the end of the day, the “engineering” details still go through relevant professionals, it all still needs to be “signed off”. So a suggestion to put forward would be a limitation of new people (such as me) to work on limited size buildings as mentioned, but credit needs to be added for previous works achieved, and years of practice. To be able to jump the rungs (faster) new Building Designers can gain experience working under an appropriate Architect or an experienced recognised Building Designer.
I have applied for BDAA accreditation recently to practice on the backing of my almost 23 years of experience managing big and small architectural projects. I have been working in architectural firms doing Type A designs, construction details for many years now. This step of excluding accredited building designers needs to be challenged.