Planning application...satisfying the bushfire management requirements...

You know how we mentioned we had some queries around the Bushfire Hazard Management & Onsite Wastewater reports? Well, here's the first of those issues...
The Fire Expert has come back and said that unless an 8 metre fire truck can do a three-point-turn so that it can access the fire tanks, then we won't get approval to even submit the application.
Oh, and did we mention that a fire truck would actually only attend at the property if it was a house fire, and not a bush fire? And how what would be the likelihood we will be able to set a concrete house on fire? Even with our dubious culinary skills?
Poor Neal-the-Architect was one fire truck away from opening a vein.
Initially, thought was given to cutting a turning road across from the build site where an old logging trail can still be made out through the undergrowth.
Needless to say, we weren't overly fond of the idea of spending money building another road for the express purpose of allowing a fire truck to turn around on the remotest of occasions.
So we had another look at the Bushfire report.
Here is a clipping from the report. The yellow outline shows the footprint of the house. The red outline shows the extent of land that needs to be cleared in order to satisfy the Fire Expert.

Then we had another look at the site.

Here is a 'photo-montage' Viktoria took on site during her recent trip down to Tassie about a month ago:

As the distance from the edge of the red outline is about 10 metres from the cliff edge, and as we have cleared enough trees, we wondered whether it would be possible to shuffle the house site down towards the cliff those extra 10 metres or so. 

In theory, that should leave heaps of room at the top of the house to landscape a suitable turning circle (in anticipation of a visit from a fire truck). And we are slightly less reluctant to dig around the existing site, than cut down even more trees & excavate somewhere else.

Armed with this, Neal has gone  back into battle.

Meanwhile we have honed our strategy on another front, with an extensive "To Do" list to get our current home ready to go on the market. Little wars will be waged while still working 12 hour days, 5 days a week.

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What exactly is a Planning Application?

**NB The following information relates only to the Huon Valley Council in Tasmania. Before undertaking any building works (or buying land that you intend to develop) Viktoria & the Android strongly recommend that you check with your local Council first.

Someone asked us what the difference was between a Planning Application and a Building Application. So here is our attempt at explaining the difference.
Generally, you will need to submit a Planning Application to the local Council when you are going to undertake a development (like, build a house), or change the use of the land. But you cannot actually start building until you have received approval in relation to your Building Application. And you cannot submit your Building Application until you have planning approval.

"Of course I got Planning Approval!"

As we are building on previously "unimproved" land (that is, land with no houses on it), we need to ensure that what we intend to do with the land (that is, build a house and live on it) fits in with the Planning Scheme in operation in the local area. This is done by the submission to Council of a Planning Application (or as it is often referred to, a Development Application).
In general, Councils tend advise that it's best not to just assume that you don't need to complete a Planning Application before you submit your Building Application... but to check with them first.
So we need to submit the appropriate form to the Council, attach all the supporting documents, and pay the relevant fees.
The supporting documents to be submitted with the Planning Application may include (but are not limited to):

• an explanatory cover letter which provides detail regarding the building plans and intended use of the property
• a copy of the Certificate of Title, together with any Schedule of Easements (if applicable)
• three copies of the plans including a (a) site plan showing the proposed building with all boundary setbacks, (b) floor plans, (c) the building elevations and (d) the extent of the site works (that is, any cut and fill, retaining walls, trees to be felled etc)
• (if necessary) a Site and Soil Evaluation and System Design if the property isn't connected to the mains sewer
• (if necessary) a Bushfire Hazard Management Plan
• (if necessary) a statement from a qualified person that the land is not vulnerable to instability

On receipt of our Planning Application, the local Council has up to 42 days (unless they ask for additional information, which can extend the time frame) in which to decide that our application is:

1. Exempt or Permitted as of Right - which means the development doesn't need planning approval and we can go straight to the building approval process
2. Permitted - a planning permit is granted, but it may have conditions imposed, like the need to have a bushfire hazard management plan
3. Discretionary - the planning application requires public consultation, where other individuals can comment to Council in favour or against the proposed development, which can then be approved or refused on the basis of feedback
4. Prohibited - what it sounds like...the development won't be allowed

And if you're not already convinced, here's another good reason to engage an architect...they help in getting all the documentation for submission of the Planning Application and Building Application to Council.
As we mentioned previously, we have a couple of queries in relation to the Bushfire and Waste Management reports which we have put to Neal-the-Architect...it would be a safe bet to wager that he knows way more about these things than us. We'll let you know how we go.
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Yet another trip to the southern lands...

One of the benefits of time travel is that you can make lightening-fast trips interstate, and be back before you even realise you've gone.
That's how Viktoria ended up spending a week in Tasmania recently.
But not with the Android; with her mother (yes, apparently someone does claim earthly responsibility for bringing Viktoria into this world).
Viktoria and Mother were able to do some wonderfully 'touristy' things - like climb the Tahune Airwalk in the Huon Valley (conveniently designed by JAWS Architects), visit MONA (the Museum of Old & New Art - which was amazing), stroll through the Salamanca Markets, catch up with friends and generally eat & drink a lot.
But of course, the main reason for the trip was to visit Neal-the-Architect. This was mainly to confirm the position of the rainwater & fire tanks, the septic tank & trenches, the redesign of the driveway and where we could site the shipping container. All these necessary (but not so exciting things) are required for submitting the Development Application to Council. But it was also nice to just catch up with him face-to-face.

TIP: The terms "Development Application" and "Planning Application" seem to be used interchangeably in architect parlance.

The JAWS office was very busy, so it was lovely that everyone took the time out for us, including Luke who took Viktoria & Mother on a 3D fly-through of the design which was really exciting.

And although Viktoria was mainly there to deal with the (relatively) boring aspects of water tank positions,  much to Neal's frustration, Viktoria still managed to distract everyone talking with Michael-the-Builder about the "look and feel" of the house. Like this picture of the 'pallette' that Viktoria and the Android have decided they want for the kitchen....

 ...or the feature light that we would like included somewhere (in addition to the LED lights which will be the main lighting)....

We also managed to make a few more "tweaks" to the plan - and yes, it is much easier to discuss a picture when you are in the same room as someone... but we think we've managed pretty well so far. So we have changed the bathroom a bit to have the basins on either side of the doorway, like this...

 ...and the bath will be a sunken concrete bath which will be built in situ when the slab is laid...

After catching up with Michael-the-Builder (who was unfazed by our stair-book-chrysalis), Neal drove Viktoria and Mother out to the site.
Viktoria had warned Neal that, after meeting Mother, he would understand why Viktoria is like she is. In mock disgust, Mother announced that she would not say a single word, so that Neal would know Viktoria was really a terribly disrespectful child.
That plan lasted right up until Mother asked Neal whether he had goblins in the trunk of his car...(those 'goblins' turned out to be a pair of gumboots and a bottle of wine).
Unsurprisingly, a cleared building site is a rather depressing, muddy, wasteland. And even though there were pegs in the ground, it was difficult to really visualise the size or layout of our future home as there wasn't much around by way of reference.
Now back in Queensland, Viktoria & the Android have had the chance to read through the "Bushfire Management Plan" and "Onsite Waste Water Management Plan"... two other documents required to submit the Development Application under Tasmanian law.
These reports have raised a number of questions (to which we are hoping Neal has the answers) which we will probably have to address before the Application can be submitted. We've left our concerns in Neal's capable hands, and will let you know where we go to from here, as soon as we know which direction we are pointed...
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Bookcase / stairs / mezzanine issue - solved!

If you have been following our journey, you would recall that one of the sad "first world problems" encountered in designing our house was the issue of how to access the floor-to-ceiling bookcase and be able to access the mezzanine in the living room.
The initial plan was for a rolling ladder, but as the mezzanine is likely to be for guest use, we wanted something a bit more accessible (for the older guest) to use.


Side view of living area with previous "rolling" ladder
along bookcase to mezzanine

It was over coffee and chocolate cake with friends recently that a very exciting opportunity presented itself.
These particular friends collectively form DavisThomas - a rather talented sculptural ensemble. To view some of their public commissions, just click davisthomas HERE.
Viktoria was secretly planning on asking Adrian (Davis) to maybe perhaps design something for the grounds once the build was complete, but on listening to her whine about the bookcase/stair/mezzanine design challenge, Adrian said he would like to have a go at it if we were interested. We couldn't say "yes" fast enough, as we have both always loved his work. And of course we wanted to pay him (though the cheeky creature is charging "mate's rates").
Several design sessions and even more coffee later, behold! Our bespoke staircase-book-thing (from the wonderfully warped mind of A.D) demonstrating what can happen when you ask a sculptor to design a bookcase and/or set of stairs for you:

View from kitchen through to back wall of living room

View (if you could see through the back wall) showing spiral stairs though bookcase

View from floating over the ceiling of the living room



View from standing outside looking through glass sliding doors

The clever boy has solved our storage and access issues, managed to maintain the floorspace, and given us a crazy-awesome chrysalis in the corner of our living room.
The plan is for it to be laser cut (and AD will weld the stairs) and flat-packed for shipping down with all our belongings, so that it can be installed after the main build is complete.
We were really conscious that we didn't want to upset Neal-the-architect by bringing someone onto the project without his input, but Neal was very gracious (as always) - and probably resigned to the fact that this committee at least, was bound at some point to run off and do something odd.
In the meantime, the less interesting but more important work around getting the Bush Fire Management Plan and Onsite Waste Water Management Plans completed and signed off has been progressing. Viktoria has feedback on the draft Bush Fire Management Plan which she needs to give to Neal (but email has been conspiring against her and she cannot seem to forward anything to JAWS). She will resort to faxing the reports this coming week.
Slowly but surely we are creeping ever closer to submitting the Development Application...
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Musings on our role as an architect's client ...

When Viktoria was a child, there was a new house built near where she lived. For some reason, she would rather cross the road than walk past it. Whereas a 1950's bungalow a few doors down, complete with faded tyre-swans and pastel mint paint, exuded a simple happiness from its fibro roof to its kitch iron gate.
Is a building's 'personality' formed like a collage from the lives of previous residents, or is something within the fabric of the structure itself?
When a building is abandoned, a sadness bleeds through. A longing for the passage of footsteps in halls, voices in rooms.

As we undertake this journey, we have been reflecting on the role each person plays in bringing our own particular building into existence. Especially, what is the real role of the client... of us?
The architect is the scientist-alchemist who samples the DNA of the landscape, translates the cuneiform of the environment. Blending and extracting the wishes of the client.
The builders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and block layers assemble the skeleton, adding flesh. Pipes and conduits form arteries and intestines.
And what is the role of the client, the resident?
We think our role only truly comes into being once everyone else has parted... with Frankensteinean spark, we think it's our role to bring the building to life.
To make the house, our home.
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