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Our neighbour could be correct about the project not needing council approval!
Interestingly, the State Environmental Planning Policy for exempt and complying codes (for things such as watertanks, kitchen renovations and even letterboxes that can be installed without approval) has no reference to dumbwaiters or lifts. This would immediately suggest that such an installation would require some form of Council approval process or DA.
However, I spoke with a lift manufacturer, who told me that WorkCover is the organisation responsible for governing this sort of project. And any lift design is pre-approved.
I wonder then, if WorkCover would be responsible for approving also, the extra construction and deconstruction of masonry – bricks removed, lintels installed – part of the works.
The lift manufacturer didn’t seem concerned much about the construction of the shaft itself. Perhaps the machinery in the basement and the tracks installed on the inside of the shaft walls to guide the car are all sufficient to support a lift large enough to hold people, and itself, without affecting the internal walls of the shaft and therefore the internal walls of the apartments.