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Town Planner Inner West

Planning expertise across Inner West Council — from Newtown to Rozelle

The Inner West is complex planning territory. We know it well.

The Inner West is one of Sydney's most diverse planning areas — a mix of Federation-era terraces, post-war housing, industrial conversions, creative precincts and rapid urban change. The planning framework that governs it is equally layered: a 2022 LEP, extensive heritage overlays, flood planning areas, and a council that takes its assessment role seriously.

Sky Planning is based in Balmain, at the heart of the Inner West. We work across the full council area and have a detailed understanding of the controls, constraints and opportunities that shape development outcomes here.

Inner West LEP 2022 — The Inner West Local Environmental Plan 2022 is the primary planning document controlling development across the area. Combined with the Inner West Development Control Plan, it sets out what can be built, how large, how close to boundaries, and what triggers heritage assessment. We read it so you don't have to.

Suburbs we cover

We work across the full Inner West Council area, including:

Marrickville Newtown Leichhardt Petersham Stanmore Dulwich Hill Annandale Rozelle Glebe Summer Hill Ashfield Lilyfield Enmore St Peters Tempe

What we do for Inner West clients

The range of planning work in the Inner West reflects the suburb's diversity. We regularly work on:

  • Residential DAs — rear additions, upper-storey extensions, new secondary dwellings
  • Dual occupancy and Torrens title subdivision on larger residential lots
  • Change of use applications for hospitality, retail, creative and mixed-use tenancies — particularly in Newtown, Marrickville and Enmore
  • Heritage assessments and Statements of Heritage Impact for properties in conservation areas
  • Strata and community scheme remedial works requiring council sign-off
  • Pre-purchase planning assessments — understanding what's achievable before you commit
  • Planning objections and submissions on notified DAs
  • Industrial to residential or mixed-use conversions — particularly around Marrickville and St Peters

Heritage in the Inner West

A significant portion of Inner West properties are affected by heritage controls — either as individual heritage items, or within a heritage conservation area (HCA). The implications aren't always obvious. A simple rear extension might require a Statement of Heritage Impact. A new fence might need heritage colour approval.

We know the heritage framework inside out. We'll tell you what applies to your property, what documentation is required, and what Inner West Council's heritage team is looking for. That saves time — and avoids surprises mid-assessment.

Our services for Inner West clients

Residential Development Extensions, additions, dual occupancy, subdivision
Commercial Fitout & Use Approvals Newtown, Marrickville, Enmore tenancy permissibility
Strata Remedial Works Common property upgrades in older Inner West strata
Legal & Advisory Support Planning merits, objections, LEC representation
Community Engagement Neighbour consultation for complex or sensitive proposals
Sustainable Advisory BASIX, NatHERS and sustainability planning support

Start with a conversation, not a lodgement

The most common mistake Inner West property owners make is lodging first and asking questions after. A DA with gaps or omissions doesn't just get refused — it causes delays, additional reports and sometimes irreversible neighbour opposition that could have been avoided.

We work with you before lodgement to make sure the application is right. That starts with a straightforward conversation about your project, your site and your goals.