Lodge an Application

Exempt development is very low impact development or minor renovation work which satisfies pre-specified requirements. If your development meets the requirements, it will not require approval.

Exempt development cannot be carried out in some circumstances. For example, if it is in an environmentally sensitive area, on bush fire prone land or within a heritage area.

It is the landowner’s responsibility to check all the provisions relating to exempt development and meet the specified development standards and land requirements.

It is important to note that the proposed development may still require an approval, licence, permit or authority under other legislation.

To determine if your development is considered exempt, visit the NSW Planning Portal for further information.

Complying development (CDC) is a fast-track approval process for straight forward residential, commercial and industrial development, as long as all relevant development standards are met and the development complies with the Building Code of Australia. A CDC proposal must first be permissible under the applicable Local Environmental Plan (LEP) before it can be considered under the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).

State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP) identifies the types of development that are classified as complying development.

For your development to be considered to be complying development, your land must not have the characteristics described in Clause 1.17A, Clause 1.18 and Clause 1.19 of the Codes SEPP.

A Planning Certificate under Section 10.7(2) of the EP&A Act can be applied for to show whether complying development under the Codes SEPP can be carried out on a particularly piece of land.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the proposed development meets all the complying development requirements. Council and registered private certifiers cannot issue a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) if the development does not strictly meet these requirements. No merit assessment is permissible for CDCs. CDC applications must be 100% compliant with its applicable development standards.

Our Duty Building Officer can assist you with general questions you may have regarding the CDC process by calling (02) 6801 4000 after 1 pm or by booking an appointment. Alternatively, you can visit the NSW Planning Portal for further information on complying development. However, they will not advise whether an application proposal is compliant as a CDC or not.

The legislation does not permit a CDC application to be withdrawn - only approved or refused.

To apply for an application online, you will be required to create a NSW Planning Portal account.

The type of information that accompanies an application will vary depending on your proposal and site. This may include:

• Owners Consent Form Cabonne Council(PDF, 89KB)
• Statement of Environmental Effects(PDF, 192KB)
• Are you in a bushfire zone? If yes, a bushfire report from an accredited consultant is required to be supplied with your application.
• Plans of the proposed development (including site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections)
• Subdivision plans (if subdivision is proposed)
• BASIX Certificate

To view the list of all documents that are required, refer to the Matrix located under the Supporting Documentation.

Once you have all the required documentation, you are ready to submit your application. These documents need to be electronic pdf versions in order to complete your application. After submission, a Council Officer will review your application and documents, if your application is considered incomplete, you will receive details on what is required via the NSW Planning Portal under Additional Information.

Lodgement fees will be calculated by Council staff and an invoice containing a link to Greenlight will be provided to you for payment. This will be sent via email to the payee. 

What is the NSW Planning Portal?

The NSW Planning Portal (Portal) is an online environment that has been developed by NSW Government Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), where community, industry and government can work together to better understand and meet their obligations under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. It hosts a range of digital planning services, mapping tools and reporting tools to assist everyone involved in a proposed development. The Portal aims to improve application determination times, increase the transparency of the planning system, and ensure greater accountability of all stakeholders.

Why is Council moving to online lodgement of applications via the NSW Planning Portal?

The NSW Government requires all NSW councils to use the NSW Planning Portal for all applications. Cabonne Council is required to adopt this system by 1 July 2021. The change to online planning and building applications enables all of us to improve convenience and customer service.

My address is not recognised. What can I do?

If your address is not recognised, you can try to enter the Lot, Section and Deposited Plan (DP) details of the land. The Lot, Section and DP details can be found on your rates notice, under the postal address details. You may also use NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer to find this information, or contact Council during business hours on (02) 6392 3200.

In the Portal, the Lot and DP details need to be entered in a specific format Lot/Section/Deposited Plan.  If your Lot and DP details were for example Lot 1, DP 1234567, in the portal, you would enter 1/-/DP1234567.

Not all properties will have a section, but they are common in the rural and village areas.  Please ensure that you separate each component with a slash '/', include a dash '-' if the property does not have a section number and include the letters 'DP' in front of the Deposited Plan number or "SP" in front of the Strata Plan number.

What applications are able to be lodged via the Portal?

From 1 July 2021 all Development Applications, Construction Certificates, Complying Development Certificates, Subdivision Certificates, Occupation Certificates and Section 68 Applications are required to be lodged via the Portal.

Do I have to lodge my development application via the Portal?

Yes, you must prepare and submit your application via the Portal when lodging a development application, construction certificate or complying development certificate with Cabonne Council.

The lodgement of applications via the Portal will be mandated by Cabonne Council on 1 July 2021.

Is there a procedure or documentation to assist with lodging my application via the Portal?

Yes, DPIE has created a guide to walk you through registration and lodgement on the Portal. Click here to access the help guides. It is recommended that during the lodgement process you “Save/Continue” or “Save/Exit” while you are completing your application.

Does Cabonne Council require any information to be submitted other than the standard form on the Portal?

Yes, supporting documentation is required when lodging an application. View Council's Submission Matrix(PDF, 177KB) to make sure you have everything you need. 

How do I lodge my application if the proposed lot is not registered?

Applications can only be lodged on registered lots. The NSW Planning Portal is updated weekly, and you may experience a delay in newly registered lots appearing in the Planning Portal.

How do I know if I have submitted everything required for my application?

Council staff will undertake a pre-lodgement check and advise you by email if further documentation is required. Council will allow five (5) business days for the additional information to be provided, or otherwise the application may be returned.

It is important to understand the application pre-lodgement check does not assess the actual development application. Council’s planner and/or building surveyor may require additional information to be submitted during the application assessment process.

What if I have other applications such as a septic application and/or drive-way application? Can I lodge it concurrently with my DA via the Portal?

Yes, Cabonne Council will allow the use of the Portal for lodging other development related application forms and associated documents. Please use the 'other' category when submitting the associated Development Application. Please note you cannot lodge these applications separately via the Portal. 

If my application is returned, do I need to start another application from the beginning?

No, the returned application can be copied onto another application, to avoid the applicant from re-entering information. Should you require assistance, please contact Council on telephone (02) 6392 3200. However, you will need to upload the required lodgement documentation again. 

Who can assist me with the Portal?

If you require assistance using the Portal, and you were unable to find an answer within the Help and Support section on the Portal, you may contact Service NSW for assistance by calling 1300 305 695 or via email info@service.nsw.gov.au 

Council staff are available to assist you with submitting your application during business hours. It is recommended that you make an appointment to ensure a staff member is available to assist you. Please call (02) 6392 3200 to make an appointment.

What if I don’t have a computer to use to lodge my application?

Your builder, draftsperson, shed company or home improvement company may be able to lodge your application on your behalf. Discuss this option with them. A family member may also be able to assist you with lodging your application.

Council staff are available to assist you with submitting your application during business hours. It is recommended that you make an appointment to ensure a staff member is available to assist you. Please call (02) 6392 3200 to make an appointment.

The Cabonne Libraries in Molong, Canowindra and Manildra also have computers available for use during their opening times.

Can I take a photograph of my plans?

No, plans must be drawn to scale and are required to be submitted in a readable PDF format. Council’s Planning Team are able to scan plans for you to submit with your application, however fees and charges apply for scanning and printing services.

Why will Council only accept PDF format for the electronic files?

PDF is the most commonly available format that preserves the integrity and quality of documentation across any software, hardware or operating system. Please ensure that no security settings, including passwords, are applied to PDF documents and that all aspects of the plans are legible. 

How do I track the status of my application?

You can track the status of your application through the status column on your Portal dashboard when you sign into your account. Once the application is lodged the Portal status will display under assessment. For more information contact Council's Planning Department during office hours on (02) 6392 3200.

Are electronic files lodged with Council available for public viewing?

Yes. All planning applications will remain publicly available on Council’s DA Tracker. Information may also be made available in accordance with the Government In formation (Public Access) Act 2009. Some documents will be published on Council's DA Tracker website during exhibition periods.  

How do I pay my fees?

Once your application is complete and accepted for lodgement via the Portal, Council will contact you for payment. Please ensure you state who will be paying for the application in the relevant section of the Portal application process where the payee details are different to the applicant details. Your application will not be lodged until the application fees have been paid in full. You will receieve an email/letter containing a link to pay the fee via Greenlight, if the email is not correct this cannot be forwarded as the link will break, please contact Council to correct the email address and it can be resent to the Payee.

If the application includes integrated development, this fee is paid in the NSW Planning Portal directly to the external agency. This fee will not be requested until the concurrence/referral is actioned from Council. 

As a company, do I need to provide my ABN/ACN?

Yes, your ABN/ACN is required for Council to correctly link your application from the Portal to Council’s systems.