A property can be attractive and still be unsuitable for the changes you have in mind. Treat planning due diligence as a separate step from negotiating price.
Describe your actual proposal
Write down the intended use, number of units, approximate addition size, parking needs and whether the property will remain on its current water and sewage services. A specific proposal helps staff identify the right questions.
Check three different layers
- Land-use permission: check the zone, exceptions, holding provisions and applicable official-plan policies.
- Building work: ask whether construction, a change of use or an additional unit needs a permit and what drawings are required.
- Site constraints: investigate servicing, access, drainage, easements and conservation requirements.
Keep a written record
Save the property address, legal description if available, staff response date and the documents reviewed. A map result is a starting point, not a municipal certificate or an approval. Ask your legal and technical advisers which confirmations belong in your purchase conditions.
Continue your research
- Who handles what: municipality, Region or both
- Building permits guide
- Find a planning-related contact
Independent general information, reviewed October 1, 2026. Requirements vary by property and can change. Verify with the responsible municipality, Durham Region, or both.