Material Change of Use A Material change of use (MCU) means a change in the way a property is used. This can include any of the following:
- Starting a new use or activity in a property
- Re-establishing a use that was previously abandoned
- Increasing the intensity or scale of a particular activity on a property
For example, establishing a new house, a townhouse development, changing use from a shop to an office etc. Whether or not a development includes an MCU component can be quite subjective and depends on the Council and what officer you’re dealing with. Generally, if you’re substantially changing the appearance of a property, or clearly changing the use of a property or building, you will be doing a MCU for the purposes of assessment under the Planning Scheme.
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