Access to plans and documents
All documents (including plans) submitted by an applicant with their Development Application are available for viewing by any person at Council during the advertising and neighbour notification period.
Are there any restrictions on access to Plans?
Yes. For privacy reasons clause 32 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 provides that:
Extracts of development application for the erection of a building:
- (a) identify the applicant and the land to which the application relates, and
- (b) contain a plan of the building that indicates the proposed height and external configuration of the site, if relevant for the development.
Although no one has a right to inspect the internal layout of someone else's property, Council has discretion to allow such access and will generally provide access to view the floor plans during the neighbour notification and advertising period. This is necessary to allow the disclosure of room uses relative to window locations because privacy impacts and overlooking will vary as a result of different room uses.
After the close of the neighbour notification and advertising period if you want access to plans and other documentation for a legitimate reason, you will need to make a request to the relevant Assessment Officer.
If there are any disputes about access to our development application or associated files, our Manager of Governance and Risk or Manager Development Assessment will determine whether it is in the public interest to grant the requested access.
Can I obtain copies of plans and other documents?
Yes, subject to paying our adopted fee for copying. However, we will not allow you to copy:
- the floor plans or cross sections showing the internal portions of the building
- any legal advice or communications between staff in relation to legal matters
- any matter determined by staff where access to such document is deemed under not to be in the public interest, under Schedule 1 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.