How many people are not aware that council approval is currently required for the installation or replacement of \u201ca domestic oil or solid fuel heating appliance, other than a portable appliance\u201d? If you\u2019ve put your hand up, I can assure you that you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, this is not a requirement associated with a normal development covered by the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act<\/a>, or the Palerang Local Environmental Plan<\/a>, it is actually a requirement under the Local Government Act<\/a> (Section 68<\/a>, Part F). At one level, that\u2019s a technicality, because regardless of which piece of legislation is involved, the manner in which this issue is regulated is determined by council policy, in this case the Palerang Development Control Plan<\/a> (PDCP).<\/p>\n I mentioned the new PDCP in my last post<\/a>, and I thought this provided a good example of what sort of thing appears in a DCP and why people might be interested in reviewing the draft that is about to go on exhibition.<\/p>\n Getting down to the nitty gritty, we are not talking about development consent for the use of a heater in a house, which one could reasonably expect to cover replacements or possibly relocations, both of which fall under the same piece of legislation. It is all about the installation of the heater and the approval process is intended to ensure that the appliance is installed correctly so houses don\u2019t burn down through lack of separation from or shielding of combustible surfaces.<\/p>\n Some councils, for example, require the installation to be carried out by a licensed installer—if you\u2019re interested, you can check the currency and category of any contractor\u2019s or tradesperson\u2019s licence on-line at onegov.nsw.gov.au<\/a>. Others simply require an applicant to demonstrate that an installation is consistent with the manufacturer\u2019s specifications. The requirements to be specified in the PDCP are still to be finalised, but the objective is simply to ensure that solid fuel heaters are safe and efficient.<\/p>\n While this discussion about the nature of an approval may seem very pedantic, this is precisely the sort of argument that arises when an insurance company seeks to establish fault with respect to a claim. As such, regardless of how the PDCP ultimately deals with this issue, residents are advised to confirm any specific installation or approval requirements with their home insurance provider.<\/p>\n