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How to Lodge an Application and What to Expect?

Building a new house or renovating your property is always exciting. However, the Development Application process can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why Planning NSW have developed A Guide to the Development Application Process – Small Housing Development.

From 1 July 2021, use of the NSW Planning Portal for all applications is mandatory. For more information or to start the application process see NSW Planning Portal.

In this section:

How to Apply Online
What documents will I need to lodge a development application?
Completeness Check
Fees Payable
General Declaration
Political Donations and Gift Disclosure
What happens once my Application has been lodged?
What is a Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE)?

How to Apply Online

From 1 July 2021, use of the NSW Planning Portal for all applications is mandatory. For more information or to start the application process see NSW Planning Portal. Access the NSW Planning Portal and either login to your account or refer to Register for a Planning Portal account guide to create an account.

Pre-Application Advice

For pre-planning advice on larger or more complex developments, significant developments involving a heritage item or commercial development, you may want to arrange a pre-development application meeting with key stakeholders of Council. Please email plans you have had prepared to planning@blayney.nsw.gov.au to request pre-lodgement feedback.

This feedback is provided free of charge and can identify any potential issues not already addressed in your application and offer preliminary design advice before the formal application is lodged. This will speed up the assessment process once lodged. If further information is required to be able to give you meaningful advice, our Town Planners or Building Surveyors or Engineers will contact you for further information.

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What documents will I need to lodge a development application?

If your development needs consent, an application must be lodged with the Council.
This will need to include:

  • a description of the development;
  • the estimated construction cost of the development;
  • a plan of the land (site plan);
  • a plan to scale of the development, including what it will look like from each side (elevation plans);
  • environmental assessment e.g. statement of environment effects (form available from Council’s website) or environmental impact statement (professionally prepared).

The level of environmental assessment that must be provided with the development application will differ depending on the likely impacts of the development.

Development consents are issued by the consent authority (usually Council).

What details do I need to include on my plans?

Site plan 

  • north point (true north);
  • scale (show ratio);
  • all property boundaries on all plans;
  • location of existing and proposed new buildings, alterations or works (show setback distances from boundaries and adjoining buildings);
  • floor plans showing room layout, dimensions, room sizes, location of windows and doors, and existing and proposed uses;
  • courtyard dimensions and areas;
  • walls and fences;
  • total floor area and floor space ratio;
  • disabled persons access (does not apply to dwelling houses);
  • vehicle entrance and exit driveways;
  • car parking and loading areas (show dimensions);
  • waste bin storage and collection areas.

A site plan is a document that precisely maps out the area of the building site to scale. Generally speaking there are two types of site plans provided: Existing site plan – the 'before' shot. This site plan shows the site in its current state. Proposed site plan – the 'after' shot.

If you need assistance to prepare a site plan you can contact an architect, draftsperson, builder, engineer etc.

Floor/Elevations and sections 

  • the direction from which the elevation is viewed
  • existing buildings (show outline only);
  • building facade, windows, roof profile;
  • external finishes (eg. wall, roof, window, door and fence materials, paint colours, etc);
  • finished ground levels, floor levels, ceiling levels, roofline levels and driveway grade;
  • existing and proposed ground levels at the section line and building elevation lines
  • chimneys, flues, exhaust vents and ducts (show height in relation to adjoining roof levels);
  • retaining walls and fences (indicate height);
  • extent of excavation or filling of the land

If you need assistance to prepare floor/elevations/section plans you can contact an architect, draftsperson, builder etc.

Survey Plan

  • north point (true north);
  • scale (show ratio);
  • all property boundaries;
  • position of existing structures, including on adjoining land;
  • edge of road pavement adjacent to your site;
  • spot levels and contours at (minimum) 0.5m intervals related to AHD

You will need to contact a suitably qualified surveyor to prepare these plans.

Subdivision Plan 

  • north point (true north)
  • scale (show ratio)
  • existing and proposed boundaries
  • lot and deposited plan numbers
  • relationship to adjoining roads and subdivision boundaries (show width of roads)
  • proposed boundary dimensions (metres)
  • proposed lot areas (square metres)
  • proposed roads and pathways (indicate width)
  • proposed easements and rights of way
  • proposed public reserves and drainage reserves
  • existing and finished levels (contours or spot heights with Australian Height Datum values)
  • long sections and cross sections of proposed roads/driveways in rights of carriageways

Subdivision Process Document

Shadow Diagrams

  • north point (true north)
  • scale (show ratio)
  • position of existing and proposed buildings
  • position of buildings on adjoining land
  • shadows cast at 9 a.m.,12 noon, and 3 p.m. on June 21, the equinox (March 21 and September

21) and December 21;

  • show change in shadows from existing to proposed development (including boundary fences);
  • if your proposal is likely to overshadow the windows of an adjoining building provide an elevation to show these shadow impacts. This is especially likely to be the case on east-west
  • oriented land.

           If you need assistance to prepare shadow diagrams you can contact an architect, draftsperson,

           builder etc.

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    Completeness Check

    Once you have submitted the application through the Portal, Council will review the documentation attached for completeness. 

    Based on the information submitted, Council will make a decision to accept the application, request additional information be uploaded or reject the application to give you time to prepare further documentation required.  If Council need additional information, you will receive an email from the Planning Portal outlining exactly what information is required to be submitted for Council to be able to formally accept your application.

    Note, it is preferable for applicants to upload all required additional information at the same time, to help ensure an efficient and smooth process.

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    Fees Payable

    Once Council has determined your application is ready to be formally lodged, we will send a fee schedule of applicable fees via the NSW Planning Portal to be paid. The application will only be lodged once payment is received.

    General Declaration

    You must declare all affiliations or associations with councillor/s or council staff which may lead a reasonable person to believe that a councillor or staff member may not be able to deal with your application in an impartial manner.  This includes all affiliations or association with a councillor/s or member/s of staff where you:
    • Are a Council employee
    • Have a friendship, personal or family relationship.
    • Have a shared membership in a club, political party or organisation.
    • Have business dealings with a councillor/s or member/s of staff outside their official council role.
    • Have provided a gift, benefit, loan, payment or hospitality.

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    Political Donations and Gift Disclosure

    The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 requires the public disclosure of donations or gifts when lodging or commenting on development proposals. This law is designed to improve the transparency of the planning system.
     
    The laws set out disclosure requirements for individuals or entities with a relevant financial interest as part of the lodgement of:
    • various types of development proposals
    • requests to initiate environmental planning instruments or development control plans.
    These disclosure requirements apply at the time of lodgement to councils or the NSW Government. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they have met the requirements specified under the Act. Disclosure requirements also apply to individuals or entities lodging submissions in objection or support to these types of proposals.

    What happens once my Application has been lodged?

    • Your assessing officer will organise internal and external required referrals to complete the assessment of your particular application.
    • Then there will be formal notification to neighbours and community if required by Council’s DCP and Community Participation Plan.
    • If Council requires any further clarification on points if your application an additional information request via the Planning Portal will be generated.
    • Once the notification period has ended, the assessing officer will review any submissions/referrals received back and take into consideration the items raised in those documents.
    • You will be given the opportunity as the applicant to respond to any items raised by submissions.
    • Once your response has been received back regarding submissions or referral requirements (if needed), the assessing officer will draft a final report of recommendation including draft conditions.
    • The final assessment is a review of all point of the application, referral and submission process to ensure that all points of the application have been address.
    • A draft approval with conditions is put together and plans/reports that support the decision of your application are stamped. 
    • From here Council will advise you of the decision vis the NSW Planning Portal with supporting documentation.

    What is a Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE)?

    A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) is a document that is required for all development applications (except Designated Development and State Significant Development) under Schedule 1 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000. It explains the likely impacts of a development proposal on the natural and built environment and must demonstrate how these impacts will be minimised. It also addresses how a development proposal complies with applicable legislative requirements.

    A SoEE should include:

    • A description of the site (including present and previous land uses) and the surrounding locality.
    • A detailed description of the proposed development, including operational details.
    • Details of the sites' suitability for the proposed development.
    • The likely impacts of the proposed development (including environmental impacts on both the natural and built environments, and the social and economic impacts in the locality).
    • The steps to be taken to lessen the expected impacts.
    • How the proposed development complies with relevant planning instruments and policies (i.e. Local Environmental Plan, Development Control Plan) and any other applicable planning instruments (such as State Environmental Planning Policies) and legislation.
    • Justification for any part of the development that does not comply with relevant policies or legislation.
    Note: Where the proposed development will result in a non-compliance with a development standard from the Local Environmental Plan, a Clause 4.6 Variation to a Development Standard Report must be submitted with the development application. For further information refer to Council’s Variations to Development Standards Fact Sheet. If the SEE does not contain all required information this may cause delays in the processing of the development application.

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    Last modified: 19 Oct 2021

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