Interior renovation is not automatically A&A
A landed renovation may focus on kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, carpentry, electrical and plumbing services, repairs and practical layout improvements within the approved house. It can still be complex, especially where an older home has leaks, previous alterations or outdated services.
URA's land-titled residential guidance gives examples of works that may not require planning permission when stated conditions are met, including selected internal room changes and like-for-like roof reconstruction. That does not remove the need to check other building, structural, drainage or technical requirements against the actual work.
A&A is assessed against several criteria—not one percentage
Under URA's prevailing landed-housing criteria, an A&A proposal is assessed across several dimensions. These include the additional gross floor area, how much of the approved external walls are removed and replaced, the extent of structural change, whether roof work creates an additional storey, and the GFA increase where an attic is added.
The familiar 50% shorthand is therefore incomplete. A proposal should be checked against every applicable criterion and the approved property records, not classified from the apparent size of one extension or from a contractor's label.
Some proposals are treated as reconstruction
URA states that proposals outside the A&A criteria are considered reconstruction. An increase in storey height, including roof work that creates an additional storey, or a change in landed housing form is also treated as reconstruction regardless of whether the proposal appears to remain below a single percentage threshold.
This distinction affects the design and approval route. It should be identified before owners rely on a construction price, submission timeline or promise that the existing structure can simply be retained.
The approved house and the existing house must be compared
Older landed homes may contain earlier additions, roof changes or other work that is not obvious from a viewing or marketing floor plan. Approved plans and previous records help the project team compare what was authorised with what is physically present.
The prevailing building envelope also matters. URA notes that new A&A works must comply with the envelope-control guidelines, and where an existing house already exceeds the permissible envelope, the new work must not further increase the building bulk and will be assessed on its merits.
Professional and authority checks follow the real scope
Structure, planning, building, drainage, fire-safety or other technical matters can require different professional input and submissions. The relevant architect, engineer, Qualified Person or authority path depends on the property and the work proposed.
Photos are valuable for an initial conversation but cannot confirm approval. Feasibility should be developed from the plans, site condition and required professional checks before the construction scope is treated as settled.
Prepare the information that makes the first review useful
Share approved and existing plans when available, current interior and exterior photos, the addition or alteration you want, known leaks or drainage concerns, and any previous approval records. Explain the household outcome rather than only naming a room or extension.
Include the budget range and preferred timing as planning boundaries. The first review should identify whether the brief is interior renovation, likely A&A or a more extensive route—and clearly list what must be checked next.
Check the current official guidance against the proposal.
These links support the planning points explained above. Requirements can change and the official pages should be checked again when the project scope is developed.
Use the note as a starting point.
Send the floor plan, site photos and rough scope for an initial project review.
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