Complying Development for Restaurants & Cafes
A cafe or restaurant fitout, and in many cases the change of use to a food premises, can be certified as complying development in as little as two to three weeks where the premises satisfies the Codes SEPP in full. That is the fast-track most operators need. The part that catches people is the food safety side, which runs on a separate framework - and EHUP handles both in one scope.
Free consultation
- 2–3 weeks where the premises qualifies
- From $2,600 + GST plus certifier and food notification fees
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
The fast-track angle
For a food operator, weeks are rent. The complying development pathway exists precisely for premises that comply, and where it is available it is the difference between opening in a month and opening in a quarter.
What the food premises standards mean at fitout stage
Smooth, impervious, cleanable floors, walls and benches. A hand-washing basin dedicated to hand washing, in the food handling area. Adequate refrigeration with temperature monitoring. Mechanical exhaust over cooking equipment. A grease arrestor sized to the operation. Compliant waste and recycling storage with the space to hold it. Pest-proofing.
Each is inexpensive at design stage and expensive at inspection stage.
How it works
Premises eligibility
24–48 hours
Zone, approved use, and whether the works and use fall within the code.
Combined scope
2–4 days
Planning certification and food safety requirements in one programme, mapped to your opening date.
Documentation
1–2 weeks
Fitout plans, mechanical and hydraulic requirements, and the food safety documentation.
Certification and notification
2–3 weeks
CDC issued and food business notified, in parallel.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Eligibility check against the Codes SEPP for the specific premises
- Fitout documentation to certifier standard
- Food premises construction requirements designed in, not retrofitted
- Food business notification and food safety program where required
- Mechanical exhaust, grease arrestor and waste requirements
- Managing the certifier and the health notification in parallel
What you don't have to deal with
- Passing the planning certification and then failing a food premises inspection
- Discovering the exhaust or grease requirement after the fitout is built
Frequently asked questions
Can my cafe fitout really be approved in three weeks?
Where the premises and the proposed use satisfy every applicable criterion, yes - that is the design intent of the complying development pathway. Eligibility depends on the zone, the existing approved use, and whether the works and the use fall within the code. Tell us your opening date at the first call and we will give you a straight answer.
What does the food safety side involve?
Notification of the business to council as a food business, and a premises that meets the food premises construction standards - cleanable surfaces, a dedicated hand- washing basin, adequate refrigeration, mechanical exhaust for cooking, a grease arrestor where required, and compliant waste storage. Most also need a certified food safety supervisor.
Do I need approval for outdoor seating?
Footpath dining on public land needs a separate approval from council, generally an outdoor dining licence, and it is distinct from the fitout approval. Seating within your own tenancy is part of the fitout capacity. Raise it early because it affects your seat count and therefore your business case.
What about the exhaust and grease arrestor?
Cooking equipment generally requires mechanical exhaust designed to the applicable standard and discharged appropriately, and food premises with grease-bearing waste require a grease arrestor sized to the operation. Both are cheaper to design into the fitout than to add afterwards, and both are inspected.
Related services
Commercial & Industrial Approval
Commercial and light industrial projects span a wide range - from a cafe fitout that can be certified in two to three weeks, to a warehouse development where the capital at risk makes feasibility the first priority, not documentation.
Change of Use
A change of use application is needed when the building stays the same but what happens inside it changes - retail to cafe, warehouse to gym, office to medical suite.
Complying Development (CDC)
A Complying Development Certificate is the fast-track approval pathway.
Home Catering
If you prepare food at home to sell - catering, cakes, meal prep, tiffin services, market stalls - you are running a food business, and two separate obligations apply.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 14
- 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.