Page 4572 - Week 12 - Thursday, 26 October 2017

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accordance with building laws. Only a Building Approval (BA) is relevant to compliance with building standards. A BA cannot be granted retrospectively because it is for proposed rather than completed work.

(5) Compliance with building standards is assessed at the building approval stage, at which point the building as a whole is assessed against fire safety standards. A development approval does not approve the use of specific products and materials for compliance with the building code and Building Act 2004.

A development approval (DA) confirms compliance with planning requirements under the Planning and Development Act 2007. The notice of decision for each DA reminds proponents that the DA is not an approval under all Territory laws and the development must also comply with other relevant laws, including the building code and Building Act.

Please see also the response to question 4 and to your Question Taken on Notice on 17 August 2017.

(6) It is possible there are building products used in Canberra that may not meet the standards or have the properties they claim to.

(7) The focus of the review is on determining non-compliant use of cladding. While false claims about products will be identified and referred to the appropriate authorities where possible, determining whether products that claim to meet a standard or have certain properties do perform as claimed would require removal and destructive testing of the products. The review does not include a wider program of product testing at this stage.

(8) A change in façade materials does not generally require a Development Approval. However, in most cases it will require a Building Approval (BA), at which stage compliance with building standards is checked. A BA cannot be granted retrospectively.

Building—aluminium cladding
(Question No 616)

Ms Lawder asked the Minister for Planning and Land Management, upon notice, on 15 September 2017:

(1) What are the Aluminium Cladding Working Group’s Terms of Reference.

(2) What was the official start date of the Working Group.

(3) What Directorates and /or ACT Government Agencies are represented on the working group, including the name and position of each representative.

(4) Does the Working Group include representatives specifically from ACT Fire and Rescue; if so, what (a) is the name and position of each representative and (b) discussions has the Minister or the Directorate/Working Group held with ACT Fire and Rescue with regard to aluminium cladding.


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