NSW Planning & Development Approval Resources
Clear, practical answers to the planning and development questions we are asked most often. Learn what requires council approval in NSW, when a Development Application (DA) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC) may be required, and what to expect in terms of planning costs, approval timeframes and application processes.
Our guides are prepared by experienced NSW town planning and development consultants who work with Development Applications, council approvals and planning assessments every week. They are based on practical experience and the current NSW planning framework, rather than generic copywriting.
Whether you are planning a new dwelling, dual occupancy, granny flat, subdivision, commercial development, change of use or industrial project, our resources are designed to explain the planning process in straightforward, plain English.
Construction certificate in NSW - what it is and when you need one
Summary: a construction certificate is the sign-off that lets your builder start. It confirms your detailed plans meet the building code and your development consent. It comes after the DA is approved, and many consents list things you have to sort out before it can be issued.
What is a development control plan (DCP) in NSW?
Summary: a development control plan, or DCP, is your council's detailed rulebook for how development should look and work. The LEP says what's allowed in your zone, and the DCP covers the detail like setbacks, parking and landscaping. A design that misses a DCP control can still be approved if you can show why it works.
Exempt development in NSW - sheds, pergolas, decks and patios
Summary: you can build some small structures in NSW without any approval, but only if the design meets every standard that applies. Miss one, or sit on a heritage, bushfire or flood affected block, and you need a certificate or a DA. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on.
NSW Commercial Planning FAQs - Fit-Outs, Change of Use and CDCs
Summary: most commercial planning questions turn on one thing - are you changing the building's classification, not just what is sold inside it. Here are straight answers to the thirteen commercial planning questions we are asked most, each tagged with the legislation it comes from.
NSW Light Industrial Planning FAQs - Warehouses, Zoning and Approvals
Summary: most substantial industrial projects need a full DA, and the real risk is not the DA itself but the cumulative delay of separate agency approvals running in parallel. Here are straight answers to the twelve industrial planning questions we are asked most.
NSW Planning Process FAQs - DA vs CDC, Clause 4.6 and Appeals
Summary: the process questions that come up regardless of project type - DA versus CDC, how a Clause 4.6 variation actually works, realistic timelines, and what to do after a refusal. Here are straight answers to the eleven questions that apply across residential, commercial and industrial projects.
NSW Residential Planning FAQs - DAs, CDCs, BASIX and Heritage
Summary: most residential questions come back to the same handful of documents and thresholds - what a DA needs, when BASIX applies, and which projects can fast-track through a CDC instead. Here are straight answers to the thirteen questions we are asked most, each tagged with the actual legislation it comes from.
Can I run a nail salon from home in Sydney?
Summary: usually yes, with approval. Once clients come to your home you generally need a planning approval from council. And if any service you offer breaks the skin, the premises also has to be registered separately. Most people only find out about the second one too late.
Do I need a DA for a shed?
Summary: usually not. Most standard backyard sheds fall under exempt development in NSW. But size, height and distance from the boundary change that quickly, and a shed that misses one criterion is not "nearly exempt" - it needs approval like anything else.
How long does council approval take in Sydney?
Summary: a Complying Development Certificate can be issued in 2–3 weeks where the project qualifies. A standard Development Application is typically 6–10 weeks with council, plus 2–4 weeks to prepare the package. What moves those numbers is almost never council being slow.
Before you sign a commercial lease - the approval check nobody does
Summary: check three things before you sign - that the zoning permits your use, what the premises is actually approved for, and whether your fitout triggers a building upgrade. It takes 24 to 48 hours and it is the cheapest insurance available on a commercial lease.
Still not sure whether your project needs approval?
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