Three years after nine Top End buildings were found to be structurally non-compliant, the Northern Territory government has introduced reforms to avoid a similar building bungle happening again.
Key points:
- From next month, permits for “complex” buildings in the Territory will not be issued until designs are approved by a “qualified, experienced and independent structural engineer”
- The reforms are part of a suite of promised changes from the Northern Territory government
- More complex projects — such as buildings three storeys or higher or specialised structures such as hospitals and childcare centres — will be subject to the new rules
From January 31, designs of all projects categorised as “complex” will be required to be reviewed by an independent third party before building permits can be issued.
Planning Minister Eva Lawler said the third-party reviewer would need to be a “qualified, experienced and independent structural engineer”.
“An NT-accredited structural engineer [who has] had 10 years’ experience will look over that design work,” Ms Lawler said.
“If there are any reviews needed, or changes needed, that will be picked up in the design work.”
In 2019, a planning department review found nine buildings in Darwin and Palmerston did not meet the National Construction Code, due to incorrectly designed transfer slabs, which spread the weight of a building onto support columns.
The so-called “Independent Third-Party Review of Structural Designs” reforms are part of a suite of changes flagged by the Northern Territory government in 2021, intended to bring the Territory into line with building codes across the country.
Other changes — including professional development, tightened registration regulations for builders and increased fines for non-compliance — are still being developed, according to the Planning Minister.
Only ‘complex’ projects needing review
The requirement for third-party reviews will not be applied to every new structure in the Northern Territory.
Instead, projects that tick certain “complexity” boxes — such as buildings that are three storeys or higher, or specialised structures such as hospitals and childcare centres — will be subject to the new rules.
Engineers Australia’s Elisha Harris welcomed the reforms but said they would not be applied to most detached houses in the Northern Territory.
“There are a list of complexity requirements and, if you meet two of those requirements, then you’re a moderate complexity building [requiring review],” Dr Harris said.
“An example would be a building in an area subject to environmental conditions, such as cyclones, and then … buildings more than three storeys.
“Most houses in Darwin would tick the complexity requirement of being in a cyclonic area, but likely wouldn’t tick any of the other boxes.”
The Planning Minister accepted the reforms would add time and cost to new projects but insisted it would be worth it.
The reforms will be effective from January 31.
