How to prepare your development application

Getting your preparation right means you’re likely to have a smooth approval process.

Project Status: When you need to do this

You may need development consent to make changes to your home or business site in the City of Sydney’s area.

Development may include:

using land
subdividing land
erecting a building
refurbishment
demolition
any other matter controlled by an environmental planning instrument.

Certain work may not require a development application:

Some minor development, called exempt development, doesn’t require our consent. Exempt development may include external painting, minor internal works, some fencing and air-conditioning units.
Certain types of development may be approved through another process. These fall under complying development and may include minor internal alterations to non-heritage items, outbuildings and internal office fitouts.
Consent is generally required for development to be carried out on heritage items or within heritage conservation areas.

What you need to do

Confirm the consent authority

Review planning controls

Interactive planning viewer Find your site on our interactive map. Local environmental plans Planning instruments that apply to the City of Sydney local area. Development control plans

DCPs provide detailed planning and design guidelines to support the planning controls in the local environmental plans.

Built environment Land use planning

Our plans and policies provide an urban planning framework for development and conservation in the local area.

Ask for advice from the City of Sydney

Development applications Get advice from the City of Sydney for your development We can provide guidance for your proposed works.

Check our application requirements

Development applications Check the document requirements for your development application Learn which plans and supporting documents you need to provide with your development application.

Design codes & technical specifications How to lodge electronic files for development and building applications

Digital requirements for electronic copies of plans and documents to accompany your application. Published 2 December 2021 Design codes & technical specifications Model requirements for proposed developments

Published 8 May 2023

Development applications Disclose a political donation or gift

Offerings to City of Sydney councillors, their party, employees or contractors must be declared when making or commenting on a planning application.

Policies Revenue policy: Fees and charges

Fees for all chargeable services, requests, applications, approvals, licences, hire bookings and memberships.

Published 1 July 2024

Make your application

Development applications Lodge a development application Approval may be required for changes to your home or business site in our area.

Before you start

Other considerations

Trees and landscaping

Pruning or removing trees

To prune or remove a tree from private land, an application form needs to be completed.

Landscape works

If you’re proposing landscape changes as part of your development application, details of the works are required. Refer to our landscape code for single dwellings and other developments.

Telecommunications infrastructure

nbn: new property developments
Australian Government’s telecommunications in new developments policy

Waste and recycling

All new and change-of-use developments that will generate construction, demolition and operational waste are required to complete a waste and recycling management plan. The plan needs to meet the requirements of the guidelines for waste management in new developments. The document contains waste and recycling management plan forms. We’ve created a waste and recycling space calculator to help applicants draft a development application and waste and recycling management plan.

Heritage conservation

Heritage works without consent

To make it easier to maintain and repair heritage properties certain development may be carried out without development consent. Approval is still required.

Delegations under the NSW Heritage Act

To cut red tape and reduce assessment timeframes, the Heritage Council of NSW has delegated a range of functions to the City of Sydney. This delegation applies to applications under the Heritage Act 1977 within our area. Apply for exemption or approval for changes to state heritage register listed places.

Heritage floor space scheme

Environmental sustainability in new buildings

We encourage smart, sustainable design that improves building performance to help us achieve our sustainability goals. See our guidance on sustainable development.

Consent modifications

A section 4.55 application is required to modify development consent. Make changes to a development application after consent has been given. You may wish to modify the plan of management for your business to reflect how you propose to manage the venue. This process to modify will depend on the specific wording of your development consent conditions and the part of the plan of management you intend to modify.

Zoning certificates

A zoning certificate is officially called a section 10.7 certificate, which will provide you with information on file about planning controls and other property issues that affect a particular piece of land. Apply for a property certificate.