DA Process
Before lodging a development application
If you are considering completing works, or if you have a general building or compliance question, there are different ways you can find out information that will help before you lodge an application.
Council provides a free duty planner service to members of the public to help them understand Council’s planning controls, the development process and any development related questions. You can call us (9879 9400) between 9:30am-10:30am Monday-Friday and request to speak to a duty planner.
If your enquiry relates to specific heritage matters, Council’s Heritage Advisor is available on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30pm to 4pm.
If you already have plans and would like feedback, we strongly encourage you attend a Preliminary Consultation Meeting with Council Officers.
Lodging a development application
From 1 January 2020 all development applications need to be lodged through the NSW Planning Portal.
When you lodge your application on the Portal you will need to:
Depending on the type of development application you are applying for there may be other supporting documentation you need to provide including a Statement of Environmental Effects, Landscaping Calculation Plan, Heritage Statement. It is essential that you supply Council with all the information required otherwise your application may be rejected.
In the case of a heritage item, the heritage impact statement must include an assessment of significance for the item. The assessment of significance must be sufficient to clearly understand the impact of the proposed works on the heritage values of the place. These values may include landscape values. The assessment must be undertaken in accordance with the Heritage NSW guideline Assessing Heritage Significance and include a statement of significance. Gradings of significance of various components of the place may also be pertinent. The assessment will be used to fill-out Council’s heritage inventory sheet for the property.
In the case of a property within a heritage conservation area, the heritage impact statement must include an assessment of the contribution the property makes to the conservation area. The property must be assessed as being either contributory, neutral or intrusive, and the rationale for the assessment explained.
Your application won’t be formally lodged until it has been checked for accuracy and completeness by Council Officers and the full and correct fees have been paid. If you provide all the needed information, Council Officers will generate an invoice and email it to you for payment. Your application will not be considered as lodged until the application fees have been paid in full.
The application is lodged and accepted by Council once it has been checked, the necessary information has been provided and the fees have been paid. Once this occurs you will receive an email with all your confirmation details. All correspondence is completed through the NSW Planning Portal.
Determination of development applications
After the assessment process has been completed, the assessment officer assigned to the development application will prepare a report which will include a recommendation for approval or refusal.
The development application is then determined in one of three ways:
- Delegated Authority
- Development Control Unit
- Local Planning Panel
Delegated Authority
If there have been no more than one submission to an application and the application complies with Council policy it can be determined under delegated authority by the Director of Town Planning under delegated authority.
Development Control Unit (DCU)
Any application that receives two or more submissions and complies with statutory requirements is referred to DCU for determination under delegated authority.
For more information on this meeting click here.
Local Planning Panel (LPP)
If an application meets a certain criteria including the following list it is determined by the Local Planning Panel
- receives 10 or more objections
- contravenes a development standard by more than 10%
- is a SEPP65 development
- demolition of a heritage item
For more information on the LPP click here