The submission and approval of building
plans is a statutory requirement regulated in terms of Section 7 of the
National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977 (Act 103 of
1977, as amended), as well as relevant Municipal By-laws.
The purpose of the building plan
submission process is to ensure that:
- All
proposed building work complies with applicable legislation.
- Developments
align with Municipal planning policies, zoning rights, and aesthetic
requirements.
- Construction
activities are monitored to protect the interests of property owners, the
public, and the built environment.
Who must submit building plans?
- Any
person who intends to build a structure on their property is required to
submit a building plan for approval. This would include new buildings,
alterations or additions to buildings, boundary walls, swimming pools,
garages, wendy houses and tool sheds to name a few.
- Applications
for demolition of buildings/structures must be submitted physically at the
Building Control Front Desk.
- The Demolition
Application Form will serve as both application and guide to the specific requirements.
- Applications
are typically prepared and submitted by an Architectural Professional.
How are plans submitted?
- All
submissions must be lodged electronically via the Western Cape
Collaborator Portal at https://westerncape.collaboratoronline.com/
(manual submissions are no longer accepted).
- The
applicant is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the
submission. Incomplete applications will be returned prior to processing.
- For
support on a step-by-step Guide to Registering on the portal click here
- For support on submitting a building plan application click here
Review process
- All the
necessary documentation and requirements for submissions can be
found here or
on the Notices tab.
- Submitted
building plans are circulated to relevant Municipal Departments (e.g., Town
Planning, Fire Department, Technical Services etc) for comment and recommendations.
- Once
all statutory and technical requirements are met, the Building Control
Section issues an approval.
- No
construction work may commence until formal written approval is granted.
Mossel Bay Heritage
The Town of Mossel Bay has a rich story, evident also by the many elegant stone- and other historic buildings. In order to preserve this history in accordance with The National Heritage Resources Act, no 25 of 1999, Mossel Bay Municipality works closely with the Heritage and Aesthetics Committeee. Though the committee is facilitated by the Building Control department, it is comprised of
Ms Carina Wiggill of the Mossel Bay Heritage Society; and
Mr Dawie Nel, Professional Architect.
Any alterations, additions, changes (& new works in demarcated areas) require a permit/approval, including:
The Act applies to any building older than 60 years, or demarcated areas with significant heritage value, which includes, but not limited to:
The first survey of structures with heritage value was done in 1984 - The Baumann Report (published by the National Monuments Council) detailed Mossel Bay’s unique building style & structures to be preserved. Later, Conservation Guidelines were published followed by Advertising Guidelines more recently. The latest survey is used for reference during the Committee’s weekly meetings and is available for viewing at the Building Control department.
The Heritage & and Aesthetics Committee meet every Wednesday at 09:00, in the Building Control boardroom, third floor, Montagu Place, 111 Montagu Street, Mossel Bay.
For further information please refer to The Architectural Design Guideline Manual for Mossel Bay and Heritage Western Cape
General Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to submit a plan?
Yes. Please refer to the Building Applications section for more information
Where do I find out what the building lines are for my property?
Please contact Town Planning: 044 606 6290
How long does it take to get my plan approved?
Please refer to this information notice detailing the process. According to the National Building Regulations, the local authority must respond to abuilding plan application within 30 days (for plans of up to 500m²). We do this by either sending a Request for additional information or the approval letter. Please contact your architectural professional if you have not heard from us directly.
How do I attach a document to a message?
ou can’t. The message serves as a prompt to remove the existing document and upload a revised version or upload additional documentation.
How do I upload revised drawings or documents?
First remove/delete the old version of the document by clicking on the action button. The document that was removed is now required for uploaded again under Outstanding Documents.
I can not register with my company email address.
Only one user can register using a single email address. If there are various users making use of 1 address, different people can log into the same account (with the same email & same password).
Why won’t my selection of the drop-down menu (data source) pull into the application?
Once you have selected the item from a data source, you have to click submit in order for the choice to register.
Why are there multiple documents with the same name after I’ve uploaded my documents?
Because you have uploaded more than 1 PDF file. Every document required should be uploaded in 1 complete PDF file. If revisions are required, remove the entire file and upload a complete new set. You can use these easy apps to manage your PDF’s:
https://www.ilovepdf.com/compress_pdf
https://www.pdfill.com/pdf_tools_free.html
How do I get the Home Owners Association approval onto my plans?
Please refer to this information notice. The municipality has consented that plans can be submitted without HOA approval initially and be approved/stamped once all other requirements have been met. We have however asked all HOA’s to consider switching to an electronic approval system (as some have already done) to accommodate electronic Building Plan Applications.
