Development Permits

Development Permits are issued for building siting and design, exterior changes or changes to the public realm.

All planning, design, and construction activities must align with Campus Vision 2050 and UBC’s Land Use Plan, ensuring that development supports the university’s sustainability targets while meeting the academic and community needs of its campus population.

Overview of Development at UBC

C+CP regulates all land use activities, including design and construction on the Vancouver campus, overseeing development review and permitting. As a quasi‑municipality, UBC sets and manages its own land-use regulations and approvals, enabled by UBC Policy UP12: Land Use, Permitting and sustainability. 

Projects are reviewed by committees and advisory bodies, including the Advisory Urban Design Panel (AUDP), and the Development Review Committee (DRC), ensuring proposals meet UBC’s planning, sustainability, and design standards.

Expiration

A Development Permit expires 12 months from the date it is issued if construction has not substantially commenced, unless an extension has been requested in writing and has been approved by the Director of Planning. 

Development Permits are issued for any project that involves new building construction, changes to the exterior appearance of an existing building, changes to the public realm, and changes to land use.

A Development Permit is required if your project involves:

  • developing a new permanent or temporary building, or structure larger than 10 m2;
  • making an addition to an existing building;
  • change to project statistics, such as number of parking stalls, floor area, units, or bicycle racks;
  • changes to the exterior of existing buildings;
  • work that impacts UBC’s built environment, such as the public realm, tree removals, landscapes and public art, or change of use.
  • amendment to an existing permit for a building, structure or landscape, such as changes to building exteriors, landscape or project statistics.

A Development Permit is not required for:

  • construction fences and hoarding no greater than 2 m high;
  • construction sheds smaller than 10 m2;
  • repairs for making interior renovations that do not impact the building envelope or;
  • building repairs that do not alter the original appearance. 

Temporary Projects

A Development Permit is required for non-permanent projects that are expected to only be in place for a short period. Examples include:

  • telecommunications antennas on buildings
  • student research projects for the short-term use of a site. 

The process differs slightly depending on whether a project is major (with a construction value greater than $10 Million) or minor (with a construction value less than $10 Million). See the chart below. 

StepsMajor ProjectsMinor Projects
Pre‑Application Meeting Required Recommended
Public Consultation Required (Open House) Usually not required
Advisory Reviews (AUDP, DRC) RequiredOften not required or streamlined 
Iteration & Revisions Multiple RoundsTypically fewer rounds
Board Approval (Board of Governors or Development Permit Board) RequiredNot required
Development Permit RequiredRequired unless exempt 
Building PermitRequiredVaries based on project scope 

Visit the UBC Facilities website for a detailed look at the development process for academic projects on the campus core. 

When a development permit application is received, C+CP reviews the proposal for consistency with relevant land use policies. Following this review, a public consultation process is undertaken, which can often include an online comment form and open houses—to invite community feedback. All feedback is shared with applicants for consideration during the development review process. 

 

Visit the Forms and Reference Materials page for all related application forms and reference materials. Questions? Contact us at Development.Projects@ubc.ca