Your DA must include all of the relevant information in the checklist for that development type.
More information may also be required, such as consent from the owner/s, cost assessment and a BASIX certificate.
For new, major alterations to existing dwellings, first-floor additions and dual occupancies, including waterfront development.
For small alterations and additions to existing dwellings, outbuildings, garages, carports and swimming pools, including waterfront development.
For residential developments including aged housing, residential flat buildings, townhouses and villa-style developments. Appendix 2 of the specification Waste collection for new multi-unit dwellings and residential flat buildings. - PDF - 969 KB includes a template to assist with the design for your waste collection.
For industrial, retail or commercial construction, including entertainment venues.
For commercial or industrial change of use, including a fit-out.
For community, public and miscellaneous development, child-care facilities and educational establishments.
For demolition of buildings.
For advertising signs.
Application for consent for the creation of additional lots via land subdivision.
You must upload to the Planning Portal a completed owners' consent and signature of all landowners. If there is more than one, every owner must sign.
If the owner is a company or owners' corporation, the application must be signed by an authorised person under the company or common seal.
If your property is a strata unit, and you are proposing a development beyond your unit entitlement, you will need the approval of the owners’ corporation.
If you've recently purchased the property, Council may not yet have received formal notice of the sale and the previous owner may still be listed in our records. If this is the case, provide a letter from your solicitor or other evidence to prove that ownership has changed.
If any of the owners' names have changed (e.g. by marriage) but this has not yet been updated by NSW Land Registry Services, we will need evidence confirming the change of name, such as a driver’s licence or marriage certificate.
For development below the mean high-water mark, such as jetties, ramps and pontoons, the landowner is usually the NSW Government and you will need its consent before lodging the DA.
If the property is owned by Sutherland Shire, you will need to apply for our consent.
Application for Owners Consent – DA/Minor Works
If the application form is not signed by all the landowners - and by you as the applicant - we cannot accept it.
A cost assessment must be based on industry-recognised prices, including the cost of materials and all labour for construction and/or demolition.
The cost must be estimated by a suitably qualified person, such as a licensed builder or architect.
The cost assessment sheet provided with the application will be compared to Council’s market research.
Where the nominated value of works doesn’t reflect current market value, a revised cost assessment sheet will be required and this may delay the application.
State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 (Sustainable Buildings SEPP) came into effect on 1 October 2023. The Sustainable Buildings SEPP repeals the State Environmental Planning Policy (Building Sustainability Index) 2004 (BASIX SEPP) and applies to all residential development (excluding alterations and additions less than $50,000, and pools less than 40,000L) and all non-residential developments (except those excluded in chapter 3.1 of the Policy).
The Sustainable Buildings SEPP applies only to development applications (DAs) that are submitted on the NSW Planning Portal on or after 1 October 2023.
The policy changes mean that your lodgement requirements may change, please read on to see how this may affect your application.
Savings and transitional provisions
Some applications will continue to be assessed under the BASIX SEPP, including development applications that are submitted on the NSW Planning Portal prior to 1 October 2023, and applications that already have a valid BASIX certificate issued. Please check whether your development benefits from these exemptions, which are detailed in the Department of Planning Planning Circular PS 23-001 and chapter 4.2 of the policy.
Residential Development
All new homes and renovations (excluding alterations and additions less than $50,000, and pools less than 40,000L) must meet the BASIX standards which are now under the Sustainable Buildings SEPP. Increases to the BASIX standards will come into effect on 1 October 2023, as part of the new Sustainable Buildings SEPP. The BASIX online tool is now integrated into the NSW Planning Portal and will remain the method of capturing and calculating BASIX standards for residential buildings, and reflects the new Sustainable Buildings SEPP requirements.
Further information can be found on the Department of Planning website: Sustainability standards for residential development (BASIX) | Planning (nsw.gov.au)
Commercial Development
Updates to the NSW Planning portal reflect the new non-residential requirements required by the Sustainable Buildings SEPP including trigger questions to determine if the policy applies to your development and prompts to upload key documents.
Further information can be found on the Department of Planning website: Sustainability standards for non-residential development | Planning (nsw.gov.au)
The full Policy can be accessed here State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 - NSW Legislation
BASIX
You’ll need a BASIX certificate if you are:
- building a new residence or swimming pool of 40,000 litres or more
- investing $50,000 or more on alterations or additions to a dwelling.
The BASIX service can be accessed via the NSW Planning Portal. Further information can be found here BASIX | Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment (nsw.gov.au)
Council is committed to complete integrity in the development application process.
All property owners, objectors and development applicants are required to declare any and all affiliations or associations they have had with Councillors or Council staff over the past two years.
This is raised on the Planning Portal for both the applicant and owner, or you can complete the Declaration of Affiliation Gifts Donations form and upload it with your application.
Development proposals need to be prepared with reference to development standards in all relevant environmental plans. These plans have been prepared and are consistently implemented to ensure appropriate and sensitive development of the Sutherland Shire.
Compliance with the development standards is usually necessary to ensure that the objectives are achieved. Where an applicant proposes to vary a development standard within Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015, council cannot consider the variation unless a written clause 4.6 variation is included.
Department of Planning have created a guide that includes a variation template to help you complete all the necessary requirements.