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​The first step in preparing a development application is to find out about our controls, policies and guidelines. Before designing your proposal, you need to know about:​

• Approval requirements under Environmental Planning legislation;
• Local Environmental Plans;
• Relevant Development Control Plans; and 
• Relevant Council policies. 

Council's planning controls and policies are available on this website. You may need to get some professional advice from an architect, draughtsperson and/or planner, before preparing development plans.

Pre-DA advice

Once you have gone through the above controls and policies and prepared development plans, you might have specific questions regarding your proposed development. You would need to bring your plans to illustrate the specific issues, and can speak with a Development Assessment Officer at Council's Bankstown branch Customer Service Counter. 

NOTE: Council does not provide general advice regarding the development potential of individual sites.

General pre-DA advice

For a detailed response to a specific proposal, particularly where variations to Council's controls are proposed or for large-scale developments, we suggest that you organise a 'pre-DA meeting' with Council's Development Control Unit (DCU).

Phone Council to book an appointment and send the plans ahead to illustrate your ideas. This will focus the discussion and allow us to give more detailed feedback.

Need other approvals?

You need to be aware that your proposal may require approval from other government agencies, listed under Section 91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. A development that requires any of these approvals is classed as an "integrated development".

Applications for integrated development are referred to the relevant agency, including (but not limited to):

• Heritage Council - where your proposal involves a site covered by a State Heritage Order;
• Department of Primary Industries - where your proposal involves works within 40 metres of a waterway, or affect the waterway​
• Department of Planning and Environment - where your proposal involves works to a scheduled premises licensed by that Department or may impact on threatened species.​