Are you looking to undertake a land development project in Australia? You will most likely be required to carry out a feature survey. Feature surveys are the initial step that is necessary during a planning and building application. They are most often combined with a level survey (thus a feature and level survey), and they involve the processes that are carried out to properly locate your development site.

The features of the surrounding streets, as well as those of adjoining properties, are also documented as part of the feature survey process. Simply put, a survey is a comprehensive analysis of the your landscape, as well the surrounding features that may influence the current state of the landscape itself. Why is all this necessary? The feature survey provides useful information to designers and contractors when carrying out development projects. Local councils also rely on this information to approve your application for land development. Feature surveys can also come along with other topographic surveying procedures in order to get the full picture of your land, it's location, and surrounding areas.  

What is involved in feature surveys? Feature surveys are all about highly detailed plans. A standard survey often includes the formulation of detailed plans for the following components:   

  • Trees in and around the property
  • Description of fences, heights of ridges and gutters 
  • Water and gas meters 
  • Driveways and walkways
  • Placing of benchmarks at the front of the property
  • Location of additional buildings in the street                        

The importance of feature surveys  Help with planning  Surveyors are often the first people on site during a construction project. They provide critical planning data, from how land will be subdivided to defining the boundaries of the final construction project. Their measurements are used by other professionals such as architects to optimize on the unique landscape of a piece of land. 

Ensure safety standards are met  Feature surveys can uncover any potential dangers that are associated with a construction project. They do this by ascertaining that the planned buildings are a good fit for the landscape, and they ensure proper compatibility of land features before the construction begins. 

Insurance policies  Land and building insurers often rely on the data from feature surveys to determine the risk that is associated with a particular project. Data on measurements, landscapes, and surrounding buildings are used by insurers to determine the premiums that developers need to pay in order to be adequately insured. 

Share