Construction Management Plan for NSW Development Applications
A construction management plan, or CMP, is the document council reads to decide whether your build will disrupt the street. Most Sydney councils make one a condition of consent, and many want it approved before the Construction Certificate is issued. Some ask for it with the DA itself, especially on tight sites, busy roads or streets near schools.
Free planning consultation
- 4 to 6 working days
- Quoted per project - typically from $700 + GST
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
What a CMP has to cover
Councils read for specifics. "We will manage dust" gets sent back. "Water carts and a wheel wash at the gate, checked each morning" does not. A workable CMP sets out how trucks enter and leave the site, where workers park, how the footpath stays safe for pedestrians, the days and hours you will work, how dust, noise, mud and stormwater are controlled, how waste is sorted and removed, and who neighbours can call when something goes wrong. Hoarding, crane and work zone arrangements go in too where they apply.
When council asks for one
The usual triggers are demolition, basement excavation, work on or near a classified road, no off-street space for loading, multi dwelling and commercial projects, and any site next to a school, childcare centre or hospital. If your consent has a condition that says "prior to the issue of a Construction Certificate", the CMP has to be accepted before your builder can start. Missing that step is one of the most common causes of a delayed start.
CMP, traffic management plan and traffic control plan
These are not the same document. The CMP is the overall plan. Where you need heavy vehicle movements, a work zone or a road occupancy, council or Transport for NSW will also want a traffic management plan, prepared by someone with the right accreditation. We work out early which of these your project needs so it does not hold up the Construction Certificate.
What affects the price
Simple residential jobs on a site with easy access start from $700 + GST. The price moves with the street frontage and site access, whether you need a work zone or road occupancy, the amount of demolition and excavation, how detailed your council's template is, and how many rounds of council comments come back. We fix the fee after a free scope check.
Why CMPs get sent back
Generic text copied from another job, truck routes through streets with load limits, hours that do not match the consent, no waste plan, no neighbour contact process, and plans that do not match the arborist report or the sediment control plan. We check the CMP against your consent conditions and your council's Development Control Plan before it goes in.
How it works
Site access assessment
1 to 2 days
Confirm realistic vehicle access, parking and material delivery arrangements for the site.
Plan preparation
2 to 3 days
Hoarding, hours, dust/noise controls and pedestrian safety measures documented.
Council alignment
1 day
Plan checked against the specific council's construction management requirements before lodgement.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Assessing site access, parking and vehicle movement constraints during construction
- Preparing hoarding, security and pedestrian safety measures for the plan
- Setting construction hours and dust/noise controls consistent with council conditions
- Coordinating a separate traffic management plan where heavy vehicle movements require one
What you don't have to deal with
- A construction condition that is unworkable on your actual site access
- A neighbour complaint escalating because construction impacts were never planned for
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a CMP for a small house?
Often yes if council has put it in your consent or you are on a narrow street or near a school. A short CMP is cheaper than a stop work notice.
Who approves the CMP?
Usually council, or your principal certifier where the condition allows. We confirm who before we start.
Can the CMP be done before the DA is approved?
Yes, and for tight sites it can help the DA. It does not replace the consent conditions though, so we update it if council changes the hours or access.
Does a CMP replace a traffic management plan?
No. If trucks or a work zone affect the road, you may need both.
Related approvals
Specialist Reports
Most applications of any size need reports from specialists outside town planning.
Arborist Report
An arborist report assesses the health, significance and structural condition of trees on or near your site, and recommends which should be retained, removed or protected during construction.
Biodiversity Assessment Report
A biodiversity development assessment report, or BDAR, is required when a development triggers the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme.
Acoustic Report
An acoustic report, also called a noise impact assessment, shows council that your project will not unreasonably disturb its neighbours, or that your building will be quiet enough inside for the people who will live or work there.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment
Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, it is an offence to harm an Aboriginal object or place, whether or not you knew it was there.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 17
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.