• Section 149 Planning certificates confirm planning requirements and restrictions that apply to a parcel of land.

Do I need Council approval for development?

Minor and small scale development often does not require development assessment by Council. This type of development is identified as "exempt development" or "complying development".

Exempt development

Exempt development is minor development that has minimal environmental impact on neighbourhood amenity. Types of exempt development include aerials, barbeques, gazebos and minor building alterations.

Exempt development does not require consent provided all prescribed standards for the development are met.

Both the State Government and Council have standards for exempt development:

• The State Government’s standards are set out in the State Codes SEPP
  
• Council’s standards are set out in the Exempt and Complying DCP

Complying development

Complying development is more substantial than the exempt development types, but is still considered to have minor environmental impact on neighbourhood amenity.

Types of complying development include internal alterations to a house, a new single or two storey dwelling and a below ground swimming pool.

Some complying development works are permissible in heritage conservation areas but additional development standards apply.

Development that satisfies the complying development standards will receive approval within 10 days.  Complying development is a quick and simple alternative to the DA process.

The State Government and Council both have standards for complying development:

• The State Government’s standards are mainly set out in the State Codes SEPP (Parts 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6 and 7)
• Council’s standards are set out in the Exempt and Complying DCP
  

Note: If you are proposing a development type that is identified as complying development in both the Codes SEPP and Council's Exempt and Complying DCP, you can choose to apply either the SEPP or the DCP provisions.

See Same development under the State Codes SEPP and Council’s DCP for more information about the relationship between the controls in the Codes SEPP and Council's DCP where both seek to address the "same development type".