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The first step in preparing a development application is to find out about permitted land uses, affectations, Council controls, policies, and guidelines. Before designing your project, you need to know:

• Land use and permitted uses (apply for a sec 10.7 certificate through Council)
• Affectations
• Approval requirements under environmental planning legislation
• Local environmental plans
• Relevant development control plans
• Relevant Council policies

Council's planning controls and policies are available online. You may need external advice from consulting planners, architects, designers, or development engineers before preparing development plans.

Pre-DA advice

After reviewing relevant controls and policies and preparing concept development plans, you may have specific questions about your proposed development. Please bring your plans to illustrate the specific issues to Council officers who can assist and provide general technical advice on any planning matter.

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

General pre-DA advice

At the general pre-DA meeting, Council officers will review your conceptual design and identify any major issues or concerns that you should address before lodging the application.

During the general pre-DA meeting, Council officers will specify if a Design Review session with the DRP is necessary and provide the requirements for submitting a DRP request.

Design review session with the Design Review Panel

Council strongly encourages applicants to seek pre-DA advice from the Design Review Panel for developments such as residential buildings of four storeys or higher, large commercial and industrial structures, childcare facilities, schools, places of public worship, registered clubs, community facilities, other significant developments, and sites with notable constraints.

The advice provided by the Panel during the pre-DA review stage will be taken into consideration during the assessment of the DA.

Need other approvals?

Applicants should be aware that their proposals may require approval from additional government agencies, as outlined in Section 91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. When a development necessitates any of these approvals, it is classified as an "integrated development".

Applications for integrated developments are referred to the pertinent agency, which may include (but is not limited to):

• Heritage Council ‐ where the proposal involves a site covered by a State Heritage Order

• Department of Primary Industries ‐ where the proposal involves works within 40 metres of a waterway or affects the waterway

• Department of Planning and Environment ‐ where the proposal involves works to scheduled premises licensed by that Department or may impact on threatened species.