Process & Costs - approval guides
Every article we have published on council approval for process & costs projects. If your question is not answered here, ask us directly - the first consultation is free.
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.
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.
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.
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.