Built Strata SUBDIVISION
As the name suggests, a Built Strata subdivision requires a building to be used to define all or some strata lot boundaries. The individual strata lots are defined by cubic spaces in reference to a building. Built Strata’s are commonly used in high-rise buildings, commercial complexes and residential housing.
Built Strata’s are also able to include areas of common property. Common property is not issued a title and is typically jointly owned by all of the strata lot owners. Some examples of common property areas can include lift shafts or shared driveways.
There are a number of options available to developers to help overcome various staging and design constraints within the Built Strata subdivision process; these can include options for re-subdivision, vacant strata lots, car stackers, leasehold, easement creation and consolidation, to name a few.
FEATURES
- Generally, the quickest form of subdivision
- Cost-effective, especially in pre-approved developments as there are minimal statutory fees required
- Minimal disruptions to the building process
- Suitable for both single and multi-level buildings
CONSIDERATIONS
- Building encroachments require approvals/ easements
- Building inspections are required and can be more problematic with older buildings
- Building completion is required before new titles will be issued; this can potentially affect finance approvals
- The building is part of the title and included in the Unit Entitlement assessment
Some key components of a Built Strata Title Plan include:
Location Plan
The purpose of the Location Plan is to show the perimeter of the parent land parcel, building outlines and location of any part-lots external to the buildings. Any buildings within 2 metres of the parcel boundary will also display the distance to the parent boundary line; this includes both buildings clear of the boundary and those that encroach over the boundary line.
Floor Plan
This plan shows the individual lots and/or part-lots. Boundaries which are defined by permanent buildings and structures are shown with a thicker line style as compared to dimensioned boundaries, which are usually shown with a thinner line style.
The total area of the strata lots, along with any part-lots will be shown. The May 2020 Strata Reform included the addition of an area summary table; where all lot areas are conveniently listed together.
All parts of a lot will be prefixed with “Pt”. The lot’s cubic space is defined with words and shown on the floor plans. The cubic definition can vary greatly from plan to plan, as too can the building surfaces used to define the building boundaries.
Unit Entitlement
The Unit Entitlement is determined by a Licensed Valuer and represents the individual lot owner’s share in the whole parcel. This value can be used to work out strata levies, voting rights and shares in any common property. From the 1st May 2020 all strata forms were revised; this included name changing, form amalgamation and removal. The former Unit Entitlement is now known as ‘Schedule of Unit Entitlement and Valuation Certificate’.
For Strata plans the Unit Entitlement is based on the improved land value; this means valuing the buildings, any improvements and the land.
Approval Process
Some Built Strata subdivisions require various approvals; these can typically involve the Western Australian Planning Commission ( WAPC ) and/ or Local Government. There are numerous small residential Built Strata’s that do not need approval; typically these developments include:
- No vacant lots
- 5 or less dwellings
- Must be residential
- The parent land parcel is no larger than 2,500m²
- Conforming with the Town Planning Scheme
Typically, a pre-approved Built Strata subdivision will take about 8 weeks from when the buildings are finished for completion.
Built Strata Subdivisions – Recent Projects Portfolio
Get In Touch
Interested in a quote, meeting with one of our friendly team members or finding out more? Email us at [email protected] or call our head office during business hours on 08-9354-8511