Dual occupancy in R2 zones across NSW: the July 2024 rule change
On 1 July 2024 dual occupancies became permissible in every NSW R2 zone. What changed, what did not, and how Sydney councils assess duplex…
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Service
Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE)
The report every DA in NSW needs. Written to the council's LEP and DCP, clause by clause, so the assessing planner can say yes.
A Statement of Environmental Effects is the planning report that accompanies almost every development application lodged with a NSW council. It explains what you propose, shows how the design meets the Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, and addresses the matters under section 4.15 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
URBA prepares SEE reports for new houses, knock-down rebuilds, dual occupancies, secondary dwellings, townhouses and small subdivisions. Each report is written for the specific council, with compliance tables that quote the control, state the proposal figure and give a clear status. Where a control is not met, we write the justification rather than hoping the assessing officer will not notice.
Who this is for
- New house and knock-down rebuild
- Dual occupancy and duplex
- Secondary dwelling (granny flat)
- Townhouses and multi dwelling housing
- Alterations and additions
- Torrens and strata subdivision
- Small commercial and change of use
What the report or service includes
- Site and locality description with constraints register (flood, bushfire, heritage, contamination, easements, biodiversity)
- Statutory framework: SEPPs, LEP zoning and permissibility, DCP parts engaged
- LEP compliance table: height, FSR, lot size and every other applicable clause
- DCP compliance table: setbacks, site coverage, landscaping, privacy, solar access, parking, stormwater
- Assessment of any variations with merit-based justification
- Environmental impact assessment: streetscape, amenity, privacy, overshadowing, traffic, stormwater, waste
- Section 4.15 evaluation and conclusion
- Schedule of lodgement documents for the NSW Planning Portal
How it works
Step
Send us the plans
Architectural drawings, survey and the site address. We confirm the council, zone and pathway on the same day.
Step
Fixed-fee proposal
A written fee for the SEE and any extra reports the council will ask for (Clause 4.6, waste plan, site analysis).
Step
Compliance review
We check every control before we write. If something will not pass, you hear about it before lodgement, while the design can still change.
Step
Report and lodgement support
Council-ready PDF, usually within five to ten business days of receiving final plans. We help assemble the Planning Portal documents.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Statement of Environmental Effects for a granny flat?
If the secondary dwelling is lodged as a development application with council, yes. If it qualifies as complying development under the Housing Code, a CDC is issued by a certifier and no SEE is required, though the design must meet every code standard.
How much does an SEE cost in Sydney?
Fees depend on the development type, the council and whether variations need to be justified. A simple new house or granny flat SEE sits at the lower end; a townhouse SEE with a Clause 4.6 request sits higher. We quote a fixed fee once we have seen the plans.
How long does an SEE take to prepare?
Most residential SEE reports are delivered within five to ten business days of receiving the final drawings and survey. Larger multi dwelling projects take longer because of the additional assessment sections.
Can you write the SEE before the drawings are finished?
We can start the site analysis and statutory sections from concept drawings, but the compliance tables need final dimensions. Most clients engage us at the same time as the designer so the two run in parallel.
Where we provide this service
Across Sydney, Western Sydney, the Central Coast, the Hunter, the Illawarra and regional NSW. See the areas we service for council-specific notes, including Blacktown, Penrith, The Hills, Liverpool, Camden and the Central Coast.
Related
Services that often go with this one
Reading
Guides related to statements of environmental effects
Penrith duplex and granny flat rules: what to know before you buy
Penrith duplex and granny flat rules under Penrith LEP 2010, DCP 2014 and the Housing SEPP, with the flood, bushfire and airport checks to…
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Parramatta and Cumberland: planning townhouses in Sydney’s middle ring
How townhouse DAs work in Parramatta and Cumberland under Parramatta LEP 2023 and Cumberland LEP 2021, including the R2 station catchments.
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Next step
Get a fixed fee for statements of environmental effects
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.