How to check DAs near a property in NSW

To check development near a property in NSW, search every development application (DA) and complying development certificate (CDC) within a few hundred metres of the address, not just the lot itself. The ones that matter most are big projects still being assessed, and anything on the lots directly next door, behind or across the street.

A six-storey apartment block next door can take your views, sun and privacy, and bring two years of building work. A new house behind you can overlook your backyard. Most buyers only find out after they've moved in.

Where to look

The NSW Planning Portal

Most NSW councils now take DAs through the NSW Planning Portal, and CDCs are lodged there too. You can search applications by address, but you generally have to look up neighbouring addresses one at a time.

The council's DA tracker

Each council keeps its own DA tracker or register with plans, reports and submissions. For older applications, or to read the plans themselves, the council site is often the best source.

State significant projects

Very large projects, such as major apartment developments, hospitals and transport projects, may be assessed by the NSW Government rather than the council. These appear on the NSW Planning major projects website.

Look around the street

Notices on fences, cleared lots, hoardings, cranes and recently sold neighbouring houses can all point to development that's coming.

DA or CDC: what's the difference?

A development application (DA) is assessed by the council (or a planning panel). Neighbours are usually notified and can make a submission, and the council weighs the impact on the area before deciding.

A complying development certificate (CDC) is a fast-track approval for work that meets set standards, such as many new houses, extensions, pools and some dual occupancies. A council or a private certifier can issue it. Neighbours can't object to a CDC, though they're told about it.

That means a big change next door can be approved quickly as a CDC, with less warning than a DA.

What each stage means for you

• Lodged or being assessed: not decided yet. It may be approved, changed or refused. If it affects you, you may still be able to comment while it's on exhibition.
• Approved: it can go ahead. Work could start soon, or not for years. Approvals usually last five years.
• Determined: a decision has been made, but this status on its own doesn't say whether it was approved or refused. Check the council's record before assuming either.
• Refused, rejected or withdrawn: it can't go ahead as lodged, but the owner may lodge a new or changed application.
• Modification: a change to something already approved, such as extra height or more units.
• Court appeal: the applicant has appealed to the Land and Environment Court. Outcomes can differ from what council decided.

How far away should you look?

As a rule of thumb, check everything within about 250 metres, and big projects up to about 800 metres away.

• Right next door, behind or across the street: any size of project can matter. Even a second storey can take sun or privacy.
• Same street: construction traffic, parking and noise.
• Up to 800 metres: apartment blocks, new shopping centres and large mixed-use projects change traffic, parking and the feel of an area, and can also lift nearby values.

Check the planning rules, not just the applications

Applications show what's been asked for. The planning rules show what could be asked for next. Look up the zoning and height limits on the land around the property using the NSW Planning Portal's spatial viewer.

The NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing rules now allow terraces, townhouses and apartment buildings near many train stations and town centres, sometimes on land that used to allow only houses. See our guide to the Low and Mid-Rise Housing rules.

Questions to ask

• Is anything lodged or approved on the lots next door, behind or across the street?
• Are there big projects nearby that could block views or sun, or bring years of construction?
• What can be built on the neighbouring land under its zoning and height limit?
• Has the property you're buying had approvals for its own extensions, pools or decks, and were they signed off?

Ask the selling agent and the council, and check the section 10.7 planning certificate attached to the contract.

Questions

How do I find DAs near an address in NSW?

Search the NSW Planning Portal and the council's DA tracker for the address and its neighbours. WIBI does this automatically: it lists every DA and CDC within 250 metres of the address, closest first, plus big projects up to 800 metres away, with what each one means.

Can I object to a development next door?

You can usually make a submission on a DA while it's on exhibition. You can't object to a CDC, because it's approved against fixed standards.

Does an approved DA mean it will definitely be built?

No. Many approvals are never built, and others are changed later. But an approval means it can go ahead, usually within five years.

Will a development nearby lower my property value?

It depends. A large building that blocks views or sun can hurt value, while new shops, transport or a better streetscape can help. What matters most is how close it is and what it takes from your home.

Does the planning certificate show nearby DAs?

Usually not. The section 10.7 certificate covers the property's own zoning, controls and hazards. To see nearby applications, search the Planning Portal or council records. See what's being built in your suburb for the latest applications by suburb.

Keep reading

• NSW planning certificate: what it tells buyers
• The NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing rules: what they mean for buyers
• First home buyer checklist for NSW
• Building and pest inspection cost in Sydney

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