Knock-down rebuild in Ryde: LEP 2014, DCP 2014 streetscape and garages
What a knock-down rebuild in Ryde must meet under Ryde LEP 2014 and DCP 2014 Part 3.3: streetscape, setbacks, garage width and position, and…
13 min read
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Planning insights
DA Process & Council
- All
- DA Process & Council
- Dual Occupancy & Duplex
- Due Diligence & Feasibility
- Granny Flats & Secondary Dwellings
- Local Areas
- Planning Rules & Reforms
- Regional NSW
- Statements of Environmental Effects
- Subdivision & Land
- Townhouses & Multi-Dwelling
DA fees and Planning Portal costs in NSW: the fee schedule explained
What a DA costs in NSW: the EP&A Regulation 2021 Schedule 4 fee scale, 2026-27 fee units, estimated development cost, planning reform fee and…
11 min read
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Energy efficiency for a new house DA: BASIX, 7 stars and the plans
BASIX, 7 star NatHERS under NCC 2022 and the Sustainable Buildings SEPP explained for owner builders, plus what must be on new house DA…
12 min read
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Section 4.15 matters: how a council planner actually assesses your DA
Section 4.15 of the EP&A Act lists what a NSW council must consider on a DA. How a planner works through each matter and…
7 min read
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Pre-lodgement meetings with council: when they are worth the time
A pre-lodgement meeting is worth it in NSW when the DA involves a variation, a constrained site or a new housing type. When Sydney…
7 min read
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Section 4.55 modifications: changing an approved DA without a new DA
Section 4.55 modifications let you change an approved DA in NSW without a new application if it stays substantially the same. The 3 pathways…
7 min read
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Why Western Sydney DAs get RFIs or refusals, and how a SEE avoids them
The most common reasons Western Sydney councils issue requests for information or refuse residential DAs, and how a well-prepared SEE heads them off.
7 min read
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BASIX and NatHERS in your DA: what the planner needs from the assessor
BASIX and NatHERS in a NSW DA: a certificate is mandatory for new homes and $50,000+ renovations. What Sydney planners need from the energy…
7 min read
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Responding to a council request for information: a planner’s playbook
A council request for information stops the DA clock in NSW until you answer. How our Sydney planners triage an RFI and respond once,…
7 min read
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Local planning panels: when your DA goes to a panel and what changes
Local planning panels decide DAs in Sydney and Wollongong councils when a DA is contentious, varies a standard by over 10% or involves council.
7 min read
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How long does a DA take in NSW? Timeframes by council (2025-26)
How long a DA takes in NSW in 2025-26: statutory clocks, realistic timeframes for houses, duplexes and townhouses, and why Sydney councils differ.
7 min read
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Neighbour objections: how NSW councils weigh submissions on a DA
Neighbour objections do not decide a DA in NSW. Councils weigh submissions on planning merit under s4.15. What Sydney councils notify and what counts.
8 min read
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Send the address and your plans or concept. A URBA planner will confirm the pathway and send a fixed-fee proposal, usually within one business day.