Access Report for NSW Development Applications
An access report shows council and your certifier that people with disability can reach, enter and use your building. It is a common requirement for commercial fitouts, childcare centres, medical centres, boarding houses and the shared areas of apartments. If it is left until the end, it tends to force changes to stairs, toilets and car parking after the plans are drawn.
Free planning consultation
- 2 to 3 weeks
- Quoted per project - typically from $1,500 + GST
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
What the report is measured against
The assessment looks at the access provisions of the current National Construction Code, the Disability (Access to Premises Buildings) Standards 2010, and the relevant Australian Standards, mainly AS 1428.1 for access and mobility and AS 2890.6 for accessible parking. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 sits behind all of it, which is why a building can pass a certifier and still attract a complaint if access has been ignored.
Which projects need one
The building class and use decide it. Shops, offices, health and education buildings, childcare centres, restaurants and cafes, and the common areas of Class 2 apartment buildings are the usual ones. Boarding houses and some seniors housing have their own requirements. A change of use can trigger an access upgrade even when you are not building anything new, which is where fitouts get caught out.
What the report actually contains
A path of travel assessment from the street and parking to every area the public uses, entrance doors and thresholds, stairs, ramps and lifts, accessible toilets and, where required, ambulant cubicles, signage and tactile indicators, circulation and door clearances, and accessible parking. Where full compliance is not practical, the consultant can document a performance solution for the certifier to accept.
Why it belongs early
An access consultant checking the concept plan costs far less than redesigning a floor plate after lodgement. We coordinate an accredited access consultant who matches the building class and give the findings to your designer before the DA is lodged.
What affects the price
Fees start from $1,500 + GST for a straightforward single level fitout. Multi storey buildings, lifts, existing buildings with constraints and projects needing a performance solution cost more. We fix the fee after a free scope check.
How it works
Classification and scope check
2 to 3 days
Confirm which access requirements apply based on the building's classification and proposed use.
Assessment
About 1 week
Access consultant assesses the design against the NCC and Premises Standards requirements.
Report and design integration
3 to 5 days
Findings integrated into the design, with any performance solution documented for council.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Coordinating an access consultant suited to your building class
- Assessing accessible paths of travel, entries, sanitary facilities and parking
- Identifying access requirements early enough to influence the design, not just audit it
- Managing any performance-based alternative solution where full compliance is impractical
What you don't have to deal with
- An access requirement discovered after the layout is finalised
- A generic access statement that does not match your building's actual classification
Frequently asked questions
Is an access report the same as a BCA report?
No. A BCA or NCC report covers the whole building code. The access report covers the access provisions in depth and is usually part of that wider check.
Do I need one for a change of use?
Often, yes. Changing from a shop to a cafe or an office to a clinic can trigger access upgrades, so check before you sign the lease.
Can the report be done on existing plans?
Yes, and it is worth doing on a concept plan so any changes are cheap.
What if the building cannot fully comply?
A performance solution can be documented where compliance is impractical, subject to your certifier agreeing.
Related approvals
Specialist Reports
Most applications of any size need reports from specialists outside town planning.
Structural Design & Certification
Structural design and certification is the structural engineer's design and sign-off confirming the building's structural elements - footings, framing, load paths - are engineered to the National Construction Code.
Geotechnical Report
A geotechnical report tells you what is under your site and what that means for your footings, retaining walls and excavation.
Stormwater Drainage Plan
Stormwater is assessed as part of every DA's general merit assessment, but the engineering standard comes from your council's own specifications - typically requiring on-site stormwater detention (OSD) so your development does not increase peak flood flows onto downstream properties.
Contaminated Land Assessment
If your site has any history of industrial, agricultural chemical or waste-related use, council will likely require a staged contamination assessment before development can proceed - starting with a Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI), which escalates to a Detailed Site Investigation and a Remediation Action Plan only if contamination is actually confirmed.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 17
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.