Chair lifts, platform lifts and access ramps in Class 2 buildings in NSW: CDC, DA and access evidence

Strata committees, architects and private certifiers often hold a sales quote for a chair lift, incline platform lift or access ramp in a Class 2 apartment building and need to know whether the work can proceed as complying development or requires a development application. Sydney Access Consultants prepares the access report and Performance Solution documentation the certifier will expect. The practice is not a lift supplier.

Three devices, three interfaces

Chair or stair lift

A seated lift that travels on a rail along the stair. It does not provide independent wheelchair access. The user transfers to the seat. NCC and Premises Standards access provisions treat it differently from platform lifts that carry a wheelchair.

Incline platform lift

A wheelchair travels on a folding or travelling platform along the stair. Geometry, landing clearances, and interaction with means of egress matter. NCC Part E3 limits the use of stairway platform lifts in certain high-traffic or multi-storey situations.

Vertical platform lift or low-rise passenger lift

These use different NCC lift provisions and often different planning triggers than stair-mounted devices. Vertical platform lifts have travel and enclosure limits under NCC Part E3.

Access ramp

A ramp is often the preferred alternative where space exists. Gradient, landings and handrails follow AS 1428.1:2021 and NCC Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions, or a Performance Solution where geometry cannot meet DtS. Premises Standards reference AS 1428.1:2021 from 29 July 2025.

Planning pathway decision tree for NSW Class 2

Do not assume a Codes SEPP pathway exists. At the time of writing, the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 does not contain a specific complying development code for the installation of chair lifts, platform lifts or access ramps in the common property or sole-occupancy units of existing Class 2 buildings. Works that alter common property, affect structural elements, or change the external appearance of the building typically require a development application unless a specific exempt or complying provision applies and all standards are met.

Confirm the following with the planning instrument and a private certifier or council before proceeding:

1. Confirm the building is Class 2 and whether the works are in common property, a sole-occupancy unit, or both.
2. Check the current Codes SEPP and any local environmental plan for an express exempt or complying pathway that covers the proposed device and location.
3. If no pathway applies, a development application is required. Strata by-laws and owners corporation consent are separate requirements.
4. Building work remains assessed under NCC 2022 Amendment 2 until NCC 2025 adoption on 1 May 2027.

Class 2 works involving regulated designs may also trigger Design and Building Practitioners Act requirements for design compliance declarations before construction.

When NCC Part D4 and Premises Standards access apply

Common areas in Class 2 buildings must provide access under NCC Part D4 and the Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards. Installing a lift or ramp in a path of travel, lobby or corridor that serves sole-occupancy units engages those provisions. Sole-occupancy unit interiors in NSW are not subject to Part G7 livable housing Deemed-to-Satisfy. An access report addresses the interface between the device, the path of travel and the required clearances.

When a Performance Solution is needed

Where stair width, landing size, gradient or turning space cannot meet Deemed-to-Satisfy geometry, a Performance Solution under the NCC is required. Sydney Access Consultants prepares the access component of that solution, including the performance requirement, assessment method and evidence. See performance solutions.

What an access consultant report covers for the certifier

A typical report for a chair lift, platform lift or ramp in a Class 2 building addresses:

• Whether the device provides independent access or requires transfer.
• Clearances at landings, doorways and turning spaces against AS 1428.1:2021.
• Interaction with required stair width and means of egress under NCC Parts D2 and E3.
• Whether a Performance Solution is needed and the evidence that supports it.
• Any fire or structural interface notes for the certifier and structural engineer.

The report supports the CDC or DA documentation. It is not a product specification or a lift installation certificate.

Sydney Access Consultants is not a lift supplier

The practice prepares access reports, Performance Solutions and design documentation. It does not supply, install or certify the lift itself. For projects in Cronulla, Sutherland Shire and Hurstville, or on the Mid North Coast where Sandy Grey works from Black Beach, call (02) 9586 3111.

Frequently asked questions

Can a platform lift in a Class 2 building proceed as complying development?

Only if the current Codes SEPP or another planning instrument contains a complying pathway that the proposal meets in full. Most installations in existing Class 2 common property require a development application. Confirm with the planning instrument and a certifier.

Does a chair lift satisfy wheelchair access requirements?

No. A chair lift requires the user to transfer to a seat. It does not provide independent access for a person who uses a wheelchair. An incline platform lift or vertical platform lift is the device that carries the wheelchair.

What does the certifier typically want from an access consultant?

A report that maps the device against the applicable NCC and Premises Standards provisions, identifies any Performance Solution, and confirms the interface with paths of travel and landings. The report is one input; structural, fire and lift-compliance certificates come from other practitioners.