Council Approvals vs Independent Compliance Advice: What’s the Difference?

Access compliance plays a critical role in how buildings are designed, approved and ultimately used. Whether you’re planning a new development, upgrading an existing building or navigating regulatory requirements, understanding who needs an access consultant and when – can help avoid delays, redesigns and non-compliance issues.

A national access consultant helps ensure accessibility requirements are addressed clearly and consistently, wherever a project is located.

Council certification is the statutory process where a local authority or appointed certifier assesses development and building applications against planning controls and regulatory requirements.

Council certification typically focuses on:

• Planning scheme compliance
• Development application (DA) assessment
• Building permit or construction certificate approval
• Conditions of approval and occupancy requirements

Council officers and certifiers assess compliance based on submitted documentation and do not provide design advice or proactively resolve compliance issues.

Independent building compliance advice is provided by specialist consultants who support project teams in interpreting and applying regulatory requirements throughout design and construction.

Building compliance consultants support projects by:

• Interpreting NCC and relevant Australian Standards
• Identifying compliance risks early
• Review designs at key project stages
• Providing practical solutions to address non-compliances
• Supporting coordination between designers, certifiers and builders

Rather than approving applications, independent consultants help ensure documentation is compliant before lodgement.

Relying solely on council certification often means compliance issues are identified late – sometimes after applications are lodged or construction has commenced.

This can result in:

• Requests for additional information
• Design revisions and resubmissions
• Approval delays
• Costly construction variations

Council certifiers are not engaged to optimise designs or anticipate issues. Their role is to assess compliance, not guide it.

Building compliance consultants provide proactive support that bridges the gap between regulation and design. Their role is to help project teams understand what is required and how to achieve it efficiently.

At Absolute Approvals, our building compliance support includes:

• Early-stage design reviews
• NCC and BCA interpretation
• Performance solution advice
• Coordination with certifiers and councils
• Compliance reporting to support approvals

This approach helps resolve compliance issues before they impact the program or budget.

Independent compliance advice does not replace council certification – it strengthens it.
By addressing compliance early:

• Applications are clearer and more complete
• Certifier queries are reduced
• Approval pathways are more predictable
• Construction documentation aligns with approvals

Projects supported by building compliance consultants are better positioned to move through council certification efficiently.

Independent building compliance advice is valuable at multiple stages of a project, including:

• Concept and feasibility design
• Pre-lodgement reviews
• Development and construction documentation
• Design changes during construction
• Existing building upgrades or change-of-use projects

Early engagement reduces risk and provides greater certainty throughout the approvals process.

Building compliance consultants support informed decision-making by clarifying requirements early and reducing uncertainty throughout the approvals process.