Prepare & Lodge a DA

At this stage you should have already contacted Parramatta Council regarding zoning and any other regulations relating to your development site. You should have also checked with Council to see whether your proposed development is either Exempt or Complying Development. If your development proposal is not Exempt or Complying Development then you will need to lodge a Development Application (DA) with Council.

There are two approvals required for most work and they are in the form of Development Consent and, unless the work is only demolition, a Construction Certificate. A DA may not initially include building specifications but may be for a subdivision of one allotment into multiple allotments or for a change in land use. A DA may be submitted prior to or in conjunction with the Construction Certificate application, which is called a Combined DA/CC. Council, with the exception of the Land and Environment Court and the State Government, is the only authority that can issue Development Consents.

Before preparing your DA it is essential to consult the appropriate Development Control Plan (DCP). The 2005 DCP outlines parameters and requirements for development consistent with the Parramatta Local Environment Plan 2001 (LEP).

The following items need to be prepared and submitted for all Development Applications.

Completed Development Application Form

When lodging a DA you must submit a completed application form, along with:

• Consent from all the registered owners. If a company owns the property, the company stamp or seal is required. If the building is subject to a strata scheme, the owners' corporation seal and authorised signatures are required.
• Details of the proposed development including the existing use, operating hours, staff numbers, goods to be produced or stored, existing and proposed car spaces and loading facilities.
• Parramatta Council requires digital copies of DAs, including plans and documentation.
• Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE). This statement should detail any expected impact of the development on the environment, adjoining premises or the public. It should also include a description of the existing situation and the proposed development.

Associated Fees

Parramatta City Council Schedule of Fees and Charges is available online. Many applications require the payment of an advertising notification fee in addition to the application fee. DA fees will be assessed based on the estimated contract value of the proposed works.

Architectural Plans and Drawings

A 4 sets of plans and drawings must be prepared for the proposed development. All plans and drawings must adhere to minimum requirements. A set must include the following plans:

• A site plan showing the location of the development within a building or within the locality. The site plan should also identify the site, streets, adjoining properties and a north point.
• Plans showing the details of the proposed development in relation to adjoining premises and streets if applicable. If the proposal is for part of a floor of a building only, the floor plan of the whole floor must be provided.
• Elevations showing the view of the development from all visible sides in relation to adjoining premises (not required where there is no new work proposed).
• Sections through appropriate areas of the site (not required where there is no new work proposed).
• New work must be coloured, with a clear distinction being made between alterations and additions.

Additional Information That May Be Required

Heritage Report

If the building is a Heritage Item or within a Conservation Area, a Heritage Report is required detailing the impact of the development on the Heritage Item or the Area.

Floor Area

If any additions result in an increase in the Gross Floor Area or Total Floor Area of the building, details of the existing floor area of the building and the additional proposed floor area must be provided. Floor Space Ratio calculations must also be provided.

Demolition

In the case of demolition, full details of the age and condition of the buildings or works to be demolished must be provided.

Larger Developments

Depending on the size and scope of the development, additional information may be required for major developments, such as materials specifications, traffic and parking report, shadow diagrams and wind effects report. Additional sets of drawings also may be required. Details of additional information required for major developments and a checklist is included in the Development Application Form.