Proposed food premises approval requirements

You must follow these standards to design, construct and operate your food premises. They apply to proposed and existing food premises:

• Australian Food Standards Code 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment
• Australian Standard 4674-2004 - Design, Construction and Fit-out of Food Premises.

You need to get certain approvals before you start building your food premises, but not all these will apply to your business:

• Development assessment: Check our planning guides and tools to find out if you can operate the type of food business you're proposing for the site.
• Building: You will first need to lodge a DA to get building approval (a Construction Certificate) from a principal certifier.
• Plumbing: After you get building approval, you'll also need plumbing approval. Council carries out all plumbing inspections in Eurobodalla.
• Trade waste: If you want to install a grease trap, you will need approval from Council.
• Advertising signs: If you plan on having advertising signs to advertise your new business, you'll need Council approval.

Permits

You may also need:

• Footpath dining permit:
• Application for footpath trading licence (454.6 KB)
• Goods on footpath permit: 
  • Application for footpath trading licence (454.6 KB)

When you design, build, or fit-out a new food premises - or make changes to an existing one - your first step is to develop new plans or use existing plans. These plans will help us to assess the proposed food premises before you start any building work.

You must provide detailed plans and specifications with your DA so we can make a proper assessment of your premises.

Plans you'll need:

• site plan (not required for mobile food vehicles) to scale - at either 1:100 or 1:200 - that shows the:
  • location of the premises in relation to surrounding dwellings and adjacent land-uses
  • car parking
  • refuse storage area
  • toilet facilities
• floor plan of the premises to scale of 1:100, that shows the:
  • layout
  • room size
  • location of plumbing fixtures
  • elevation plan with the proposed kitchen fit-out (fittings and equipment).

Details you'll need to show on your plans:

• finishes to floors, walls and ceilings
• layout of all equipment, benches, fittings and fixtures, and mechanical ventilation
• door and window openings
• seating for diners and:
  • number of square metres of floor space available for dining
  • number of people you're catering for in this area
• customer and staff toilets: if detached, distance to facilities and the number available
• mechanical exhaust ventilation
• process flow, from product received through to product served.

You will also need to provide a list of all appliances and equipment to show you meet the:

• Australian Food Standards Code 3.2.3 - Food Premises and Equipment
• AS 4674-2004 - Design, Construction and Fit-out of Food Premises.

Other details we'll need:

• name, address, and contact details of the architect, draftsperson, or shopfitter
• name of food business operator
• proposed name of premises
• address of the premises and property description (ie, lot and registered plan number)
• intended nature of the food operation
• drawing scale and draft date of plans
• overview of the types of:
  • activities and food processing you intend to carry out on the premises
  • food involved in the activities and processes.

• AS 4674-2004 - Design, Construction and Fit-out of Food Premises: Provides criteria on the design, construction and fit-out to help you meet the Australian Food Standards Code 3.2.3 for new buildings and alterations to existing buildings.
• The aim of the standards is to help food businesses to produce safe food.

Structural requirements and performance standards

• 2.1.5: Protection against pests:
  • Provide pest protection at all external openings to premises such as self-closing screen doors or similar devices.
• 2.2.1: Water supply:
  • Provide water supply to the kitchen dishwasher and pot sink, and cleaners sink, which shall be at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees celsius.
  • Other sinks shall have warm water available.
• 2.3: Sewage and wastewater disposal:
  • All plumbing and drainage shall comply with AS3500 - floors in the food preparation area and shall be graded and drained to a floor waste.
• 2.4: Garbage and recycling materials:
  • Provide sufficient enclosed garbage receptacles for solid and liquid waste.
  • Waste bins shall be stored on a sealed floor.
• 2.5: Ventilation:
  • Provide a mechanical ventilation certificate for air extraction system, including hood design above grill, hotplates, deep fryers, and the automatic dishwashing machine.
• 2.6: Lighting:
  • Provide flush-mounted covered light fittings over all food preparation areas and associated areas where open food is handled or stored.
• 3.1, 3.2: Floors, walls, and ceilings finishes:
  • Provide approved ceiling, wall, and floor surfaces in food preparation areas to facilitate effective cleaning and prevent harbourage for pests and vermin.
  • Install integral/continuous covering on floor and walls/plinths intersections within all food preparation areas to facilitate effective cleaning and prevent accumulation of grease, dirt etc, (feather edge skirtings are not acceptable).
  • Wet area floors (kitchen and food preparation areas) shall be effectively graded and drained to approved floor wastes.
  • Ceilings in the kitchen and food preparation areas shall be impervious, sealed, and smooth.
  • Brick walls in food preparation areas shall be provided with a trowelled cement surface.
  • All new walls dividing main cooking area, preparation and storage areas shall be a minimum solid core construction type wall (full details of construction shall be supplied to Council).
• 4.2: Fixtures, fittings, and equipment:
  • Provide flexible connections to main gas cooking appliance to facilitate effective access for cleaning.
  • Provide approved wheels or casters on kitchen storage units and appliances to facilitate ease of movement.
  • Fit accurate thermometer to built-in cool room.
  • Ensure all fixtures, fittings and equipment shall either be made moveable or butted fitted to the wall and sealed.
  • In case of cupboard and cabinets, no backing boards shall be installed where cupboard abuts a wall surface.
  • All service pipes, wires and conduits are mounted on wall off-set brackets (including plumbing and drainage pipe work, electrical and telecommunications).
  • Coffee machine to be plumbed and drained to sewer.
• 4.4: Hand washing facilities:
  • Provide hands-free operating hand wash basin in food preparation areas, together with soap dispenser and hand towels (warm water only).
• 5.1: Staff facilities and toilet facilities:
  • Provide separate staff and/or office facilities and chemical store outside the food preparation areas.
  • Provide warm water to wash basins in staff toilets.