Development Application (DA) Services
A Development Application is the merit-assessed approval pathway. Council weighs your proposal against the planning controls and can approve it, approve it with conditions, approve a variation, or refuse it. It is slower than complying development, but it is the only pathway where a proposal that does not strictly comply can still be approved. We prepare the package, lodge it and manage council through to determination.
Free consultation
- 6–10 weeks with council after 2–4 weeks preparation
- From $3,800 + GST including Statement of Environmental Effects
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
When a DA is required
A DA is required whenever the proposal is not exempt and does not satisfy the complying development criteria in full. In practice that means: any variation to a development standard, most work on heritage items or in conservation areas, most development on bushfire-prone or flood-affected land, dual occupancy and subdivision in many councils, most changes of use, and anything where a merit argument is needed.
What council is actually assessing
Section 4.15 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act sets the matters for consideration - the relevant planning instruments, the likely impacts of the development, the suitability of the site, any submissions received, and the public interest. A Statement of Environmental Effects is the document that addresses each of those directly.
Why applications get delayed
Almost never because council is slow for its own sake. The two dominant causes are a package that was incomplete at lodgement, and an inconsistency between documents that council has to resolve before it can assess. Both are avoidable.
Why applications get refused
A proposal that breaches a development standard with no Clause 4.6 request, or with a weak one. An impact on neighbouring amenity - overshadowing, privacy, bulk - that the design does not mitigate. Insufficient parking. Or a use that is simply not permissible in the zone, which is a check that should happen before anything is drawn.
How it works
Pathway confirmation
1–2 days
We confirm a DA is required rather than a CDC, because lodging the wrong one costs weeks.
Package preparation
2–4 weeks
Statement of Environmental Effects, drawings coordination and specialist reports assembled.
Lodgement
1–2 days
Lodged through the NSW Planning Portal with the fee schedule calculated correctly.
Assessment management
6–10 weeks
We handle notification submissions and every request for further information.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Confirming a DA is actually the right pathway before you commit to it
- Statement of Environmental Effects and supporting planning argument
- Scoping and coordinating the specialist reports the site requires
- Lodgement through the NSW Planning Portal and correct fee calculation
- Responding to requests for further information and neighbour submissions
What you don't have to deal with
- Lodging a DA for something that qualified as complying development
- A package missing a document that triggers a six-week delay
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Development Application take in NSW?
Six to ten weeks with council is typical for a straightforward DA once lodged, plus two to four weeks to prepare the package. Applications requiring referral to another agency, or on heritage, bushfire or flood-affected land, take longer. Council's clock stops while a request for further information is outstanding, which is why completeness at lodgement matters more than anything else.
What documents does a DA need?
At minimum: the application form, architectural drawings, a Statement of Environmental Effects, a cost of works estimate, and an owner's consent. Beyond that it depends entirely on the site - BASIX, survey, stormwater, waste management, arborist, heritage, bushfire, traffic or acoustic reports as applicable. We produce a specific list rather than a generic checklist.
Will my neighbours be notified?
Generally yes. Councils notify adjoining owners and consider submissions received during the notification period. Objections do not automatically defeat an application - they have to raise a valid planning consideration. If submissions are lodged against your DA we prepare the response.
Can I start work once I have lodged?
No. Work cannot commence until consent is granted, and for most work a construction certificate is also required after that. Starting early is the most expensive mistake available on this page.
Related services
Complying Development (CDC)
A Complying Development Certificate is the fast-track approval pathway.
Statement of Environmental Effects
A Statement of Environmental Effects is the mandatory planning report accompanying a Development Application.
Modification (s4.55)
Once consent is granted, changes to the approved development are made by a Section 4.55 modification rather than a new application.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 14
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.