By Michael Millier, Principal Engineer, PEAKURBAN

Approvals are getting harder and more difficult to come by. These days, getting on site and turning dirt is cause for major celebration – not just the milestone itself but the end reward for navigating through increasingly complicated and extended design approval processes.

Once a planning permit is issued, is there any reason why construction works shouldn’t follow almost immediately? By getting on site sooner, the earlier construction can commence, and the faster lots can be titled. This would help improve affordability by reducing cashflow and overall project holding costs.

The team at PEAKURBAN have worked across multiple States and with different Authorities over the years and have found that a pragmatic Self-Certification system can assist in streamlining design approvals and enabling site works to commence much sooner than conventional approval systems. In some instances, we have worked with Authorities to obtain detailed design approvals and commence on site within 24 hours of receiving the planning permit. For other projects we’ve been able to commence on site just 10 days post planning approval being issued. This compares to a more conventional approval process of 6+ months.

The Victorian Water Authorities have partially gone down this path with a Quality Assurance process that requires certified Designers and Construction auditors to sign off on the approval process.  The strategy is set up front in the offers and the Water Authority has 10 days to audit the drawings post submission and commencement of construction.  The Water Authorities have invested significantly in this certification process over the past 20 years, and it has assisted in improved design approval times and a better-quality product. Still some work to do on sorting out downstream easements but that’s a topic for another day!

How Would It Work?

Essentially, the Authority (either through an Act or a policy framework) has a prescribed certification system and consultants must be pre-qualified to participate in that system. Often, individual accreditation is necessary and only those assessed as suitably qualified and experienced are eligible to ‘self-certify’. Planning permits are issued which set out the scope and extent of works that are ‘self-assessable’ along with any relevant standards that apply. The certification process can sit across various project disciplines such as civil engineering, electrical, landscape, geotechnical, environmental and the like so that all necessary approvals are obtained at the relevant time.

The biggest time saving on the self-certification process would apply to pre-construction (application and approval of drains / submissions) which is where the major skill shortage lies, and time delays occur.

Construction (delivery on site) and post construction (Statement of Compliance and defects liability periods) could also be an option, but we would expect the Authority to take a more active role in the delivery/handover phase of the final assets.

We see several benefits that a pragmatic self-certification system can provide:

1. Helps Overcome Staff Shortages – many Authorities are under resourced, particularly in the current market. Approvals are ‘stuck’ in the system and taking longer to issue simply because officers can’t get to it. A self-certification system draws upon experienced, prequalified consultants’ skills and expertise and can mitigate these delays and allow approvals to flow. At the end of the day, engineers / consultants take professional indemnity risk regarding their services – that risk may as well be taken in an environment where projects are happening as opposed to being stalled.  The process will be further strengthened with the Professional Engineers Registration Act coming into place shortly.
   
2. Reduced Approval Timeframes – instead of waiting up to 6 months for a design approval, they could be issued in as little as 10 days. This assists in significantly reducing the time from planning approval to delivery of lots therefore reducing costs, providing certainty, and improving affordability outcomes.
   
3. Promotes Innovation and Performance Outcomes – greater flexibility is provided for innovation through clear performance-based certification processes relating to design, construction, and delivery of infrastructure.

Whilst we acknowledge there will always be some groups concerned about risks of engineers and consultants certifying or approving their own work, we are of the view that a robust system implemented professionally and diligently, will deliver major benefits across industry. Faster approvals and reduced project costs through harnessing the expertise of industry professionals makes sense, especially given talent shortages affecting all parts of the land development industry. In our view, it shouldn’t be that difficult to implement a robust self-certification system here in Victoria. Other States have them in place now. Any process that simplifies the system, reduces costs and materially improves timeframes is one we support!