When planning to build or develop land, buying a new property or make changes to existing property, it is important to consider what may impact the intentions of your client. Whether the area they are interested in falls close to a school, Transport Noise Corridor or area of cultural heritage, it is important to inform your client of what lies ahead.
When conducting a property search with InfoTrack, taking note of the returned results and any flags that you have been alerted to will allow you to complete your due diligence quickly and accurately. Some of the alerts that you can look out for include:
- LotSearch Environmental Risk and Contamination Alerts
- Development Application Alerts
- Aboriginal Heritage Register Alerts (VIC)
- Transport Noise Corridor (QLD)
Environmental Risk and Contamination
Recently, the Sydney Morning Herald uncovered that apartment owners in Erskineville, NSW were being kept from entering their properties due to toxic contamination including asbestos, hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Many of these Erskineville buyers, purchased their property off the plan, prior to it being built. Had these owners be properly informed of the risk prior to their purchase, they may have changed their mind.
When conducting a property search on behalf of your client, InfoTrack offers Lotsearch Hazard Alerts which let you see if there is potentially contaminated historical business activity or an EPA record within 50m of your property. LotSearch hazard alerts allow you to find information you didn’t know existed. This means you can go above and beyond for your clients, adding huge value to them and your business.
Development Applications
Similarly, with Development Application reports, in mid-July 2019 the Herald Sun reported that South Yarra apartment owners have been left “gobsmacked” after a student accommodation high-rise has obliterated their views, putting a wall just centimetres from their balconies. The looming concrete development in South Yarra is separated by 11.5cm from the north-facing balconies of the apartment block next door.
While current owners of nearby properties are informed when a Development Application (DA) is submitted, what about potential buyers? Protect your clients and complete your due diligence accurately by taking notice of InfoTrack’s DA alerts function. DA alerts tell you about the changing use of land near your client’s chosen property. If there’s a DA within 400m of the property your client is looking to purchase, we will alert you. Changes could include:
- Subdivision of land
- Carrying out building work
- Landscaping
- And much more
By using our system, you will be able to see controls from council to each site, and therefore identify any issues from an early stage and address those as part of the planning process.
Looking at a property in a cultural area or near transport?
A key part of the planning process and due diligence is being aware of what surround your client’s property. For client’s based in QLD, take note of any alerts that identify if your client’s selected property is located in a designated transport noise corridor or within a 50m radius of one. If your client requests it, you can then order the search receive the exact location and mapping data of the noise corridor.
Likewise, for Victoria, Aboriginal Heritage Alerts provide an alert for any property that falls “within an area of cultural heritage sensitivity.” InfoTrack uses information from the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Register and Information System (ACHRIS). You and/or your client can then choose to order a copy of the Aboriginal Heritage Register certificate to find out more in-depth information about the area of cultural sensitivity.
When completing a property search and effectively conducting your due diligence, be alert to any flags that are returned on your property search, rather than alarmed. There is value in providing your clients with all the information so they can make an effective decision when looking to purchase a property.
