Updates to council inspections practice directions
Published Thursday, 10 April 2025
On 10 April 2025, the State Planning Commission published updated versions of the following practice directions:
- Practice Direction 8 – Council Swimming Pool Safety Inspections 2019
- Practice Direction 9 – Council Inspections 2020
The updates (which will become operational on 1 July 2025) have been made as a result of feedback from councils and other stakeholders to improve consistency and councils’ reporting capacity against the practice directions.
The updates include:
- clearer definitions and improved consistency
- clarification on how and when mandatory inspections are counted
- inspection requirements for buildings constructed off-site
- inclusion of mandatory inspection requirements for private bushfire shelters
- accreditation requirements for authorised officers.
Updates to PlanSA’s reporting tools are being prepared to align with the new reporting requirements commencing on 1 July 2025.
In the meantime, councils should continue to use the versions of the practice directions titled ‘Current’ on the Practice Directions page until 1 July 2025.
The Commission intends to undertake a broader review and engage further with stakeholders on more comprehensive changes to Practice Direction 9, commencing in the second half of 2025.