A Development Application (DA) is the formal process for seeking council approval to carry out development in New South Wales. It applies to a wide range of projects — from home additions and new dwellings to change of use applications and multi-unit developments.
The process can seem complex, but it follows a consistent structure. This guide walks through every step from checking your planning controls to receiving your consent — written by our town planners who do this every day.
Not sure if you need a DA? Some development can be approved as Complying Development — a faster, private certifier pathway. Read our guide on DA vs CDC before you start.
Step 1 — Check your planning controls
Understand what applies to your property
Before anything else, you need to know the planning controls that govern your property. These come from two main sources:
- Local Environmental Plan (LEP) — sets the zone, permissible uses, height limits, floor space ratio, heritage status and minimum lot size
- Development Control Plan (DCP) — provides detailed design and performance standards for setbacks, landscaping, materials, parking and more
You can check your controls using the NSW Planning Portal (planningportal.nsw.gov.au) or your council's online mapping tools. Enter your property address to see which zone applies and what development is permitted.
The key things to establish at this stage are: is your proposed development permissible in the zone? Does it comply with the height and bulk controls? Are there any heritage, flood, bushfire or environmental overlays that apply?
If controls are unclear — and they often are — this is the point at which a town planner adds the most immediate value. We read these documents daily and can give you a clear picture quickly.
Step 2 — Determine the right approval pathway
DA or Complying Development?
Not all development in NSW requires a DA. If your proposal meets specific pre-set standards in the Housing SEPP or other applicable policies, it may qualify as Complying Development — a faster pathway assessed by a private certifier rather than council.
- Complying Development Certificates (CDCs) can be issued in as little as 10–20 business days
- They are not available for properties in heritage conservation areas or with significant environmental constraints
- DAs are required for anything that doesn't meet the CDC standards, or where the proponent chooses the DA pathway
Choosing the wrong pathway costs time and money. A town planner can assess your project against the relevant SEPP provisions quickly and confirm which pathway is appropriate — and which is faster for your specific situation.
Step 3 — Engage your professional team
Who you'll need on your team
The consultants required for a DA depend on the nature and complexity of your project. At minimum, most DAs require:
- Architect or building designer — to prepare compliant architectural plans
- Town planner — to prepare the Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) and manage the DA process
- BASIX consultant — required for all residential DAs involving new dwellings or additions over 50m²
Depending on your site, you may also need reports from a surveyor, heritage consultant, ecologist, traffic engineer, acoustic consultant, arborist or bushfire consultant. Your town planner can advise which reports are required for your specific DA.
Step 4 — Consider a pre-DA meeting with council
Get council feedback before you lodge
A pre-DA meeting is an optional but often valuable step. It gives you the opportunity to present your proposal to council's assessment team before formal lodgement and receive written feedback on the key issues they expect to be addressed.
- Most NSW councils offer pre-DA services — fees vary by council and project type
- Council's written feedback can help you refine the design and avoid issues during assessment
- Pre-DA meetings are particularly worthwhile for complex, heritage-affected or contentious proposals
Many experienced planners use pre-DA meetings strategically — not just to get council's view, but to establish a relationship with the assessing officer and get an indication of how council is likely to approach specific issues. That intelligence is worth a lot before you commit to a design.
Step 5 — Prepare your DA documents
What a DA submission includes
A standard residential DA submission typically includes:
- Architectural plans (site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections)
- Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE)
- BASIX Certificate (for residential development)
- Shadow diagrams and landscape plan (where required by DCP)
- Survey plan (where required)
- Specialist reports as required (heritage, ecology, traffic, acoustics, bushfire)
- Owner's consent form (if the applicant is not the property owner)
Your town planner will review your council's DCP to identify every document required and prepare the checklist before lodgement. Missing documents are a common cause of delays.
Step 6 — Lodge via the NSW Planning Portal
Online lodgement through planningportal.nsw.gov.au
All DAs in NSW are now lodged online through the NSW Planning Portal. The lodgement process involves:
- Creating or logging into your NSW Planning Portal account
- Selecting the relevant council and application type
- Uploading all required documents in the prescribed format
- Paying the DA lodgement fee (calculated based on estimated construction cost)
Once lodged, council has 5 business days to accept your application as complete, or issue a notice requesting additional information before acceptance.
Step 7 — The assessment process
Once accepted, council assigns a planning officer to assess your DA. The assessment process typically involves:
Public notification
Most DAs are publicly notified — adjoining property owners are notified by letter, and the application is published on the council's DA tracker for a set period (usually 14–28 days). Submitters can make written submissions in support or objection, which the assessing officer must consider.
Agency referrals
Where your proposal triggers referral to a government agency — Roads and Maritime Services, NSW Rural Fire Service, Environment Protection Authority, Heritage NSW, or others — council is required to refer the DA and wait for their response before determination.
Requests for Information (RFIs)
Council may issue a Request for Further Information (RFI) at any stage of assessment. The DA clock stops while you respond to an RFI. Responding promptly and completely is important — delays in RFI responses are one of the most common reasons DAs take longer than expected.
Timeframe reality check: Statutory timeframes in NSW are 40 business days for most residential DAs and 60 for complex proposals. In practice, many councils are running 3–6 months for residential DAs due to workload, notification periods and RFI time. The better your application, the less time is lost.
Step 8 — Determination
Approval, refusal or deferral
Council will issue one of three determinations:
- Approval (Development Consent) — granted with conditions. You have 5 years from the date of consent to commence the development.
- Refusal — council sets out the reasons. You can appeal to the Land and Environment Court within 6 months, or amend and re-lodge.
- Deferred commencement consent — approval is granted but cannot operate until specified pre-conditions are satisfied.
DA timeframes at a glance
| Stage | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|
| Pre-DA meeting (if applicable) | 2–6 weeks to arrange |
| DA preparation (plans, reports, SEE) | 4–12 weeks |
| Lodgement acceptance | 5 business days |
| Public notification period | 14–28 days |
| Council assessment | 40–60 business days (statutory) |
| Total (well-prepared residential DA) | 3–6 months typical |
Common mistakes that slow DAs down
- Incomplete applications — missing reports or documents trigger RFIs that stop the clock
- Plans that don't address DCP controls — setback variations, landscaping shortfalls and parking deficiencies all need to be addressed in the SEE
- No pre-DA meeting on a sensitive proposal — going in blind on a heritage-affected or contentious DA is avoidable
- Slow RFI responses — the clock stops while you respond; leaving it weeks costs you weeks
- No neighbour consultation — proactive neighbour engagement before lodgement can prevent objections that extend assessment
Do you need a town planner?
You are legally permitted to lodge a DA yourself. But the SEE is a technical planning document, the controls are complex, and the consequences of getting it wrong — refusal, delays, or costly redesigns — fall on you.
Most property owners and developers in Sydney who are spending meaningful money on a project engage a town planner for good reason: the process is smoother, the application is better positioned, and the planner knows how to navigate council.