A Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) plays an integral role in the construction process, overseeing the project from the commencement of work through to the completion of the building, conducting inspections at each required stage.  You can either appoint Council or an Accredited Private Certifier to be the PCA. Council's Building Assessment Team offers a professional service if appointed as the PCA.

Prior to any building or subdivision work being carried out, a construction certificate must be approved and a PCA must be appointed for the development.  If you decide to appoint Council as your PCA please complete Council's Principal Certifying Authority Service Appointment form and submit to Council. If you do not appoint Council as the PCA, you must notify Council of the appointment of the accredited Private Certifier at least 2 days prior to the commencement of any building work.  

Why Choose Council's Building Approvals Team?

 We have the long-term support and stability of Council - "we will always be there for our customers and the community".

We are able to provide a comprehensive range of building approvals, building certification, inspections and building approval advisory services; We provide efficient, cost-effective and quality services; We have a team of professionally qualified and experienced Building Surveyors; We are fully independent and ensure that all building regulations, construction standards and Development Consent requirements are complied with; We have access to Council's approvals history, Planning & Engineering officers, providing quick advice and assistance to our customers; We are flexible and will endeavour to meet all of our customer's needs; We can offer a competitive price package to our customers.

With the long-standing security of being part of Local Government, Council's Building Approvals Team offers quality, impartial and timely assessment, inspection and certification services.  Our local knowledge saves you time and money.  Our experienced building surveyors and assessment officers are always there to help with your applications every step of the way.  Working only within the Great Lakes Local Government area, they are never far away from your development if required for assistance. 

Being appointed as a PCA imposes certain responsibilities whether you have appointed Council or an Accredited Private Certifier.  These obligations are as follows:

• To conduct a proper inspection of each required stage of construction;
• To certify at each stage of inspection that the works are being carried out according to the development consent;
• To promptly advise the applicant if any works have been carried out that are inconsistent with the development consent;
• To serve notices under s121 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act if any non-compliances are identified with the terms of the Development Consent;
• To issue an occupation certificate for any building work or change of use of a building when the relevant application has been lodged with Council and when all the required works and conditions have been satisfied;
• To promptly advise the applicant after each inspection of any outstanding work;
• To consider if a building is suitable for occupation or use in accordance with its classification under the Building Code of Australia prior to the determination of the occupation certificate;
• To oversee the entire construction process from commencement to completion.