• Home
• >
• Building & Development
• >
• Development applications
• >
• Preparing your Development Application

Preparing your Development Application

Before you can make changes to a building or occupy premises in the local area you may need to lodge a Development Application (DA). A DA can only be approved by Council (or, for very large, State-significant development proposals, the State Government), and it is assessed in accordance with the development standards established in the Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan.

It is recommended that you first follow the steps outlined on the Developing in Waverley page to establish what controls apply to your property, whether your proposal is permissible and whether the works can be undertaken as exempt of complying development under the  exempt or complying development rules.

If your proposal requires the submission of a Development Application, the DA Process page outlines the standard process of how to lodge your application and then the process of how it will be assessed.

Some useful links to documents that you will need to provide with your Development Application are below:

• Development Application Form and Checklist
  This form and checklist are required to be completed and submitted for all applications.
• Electronic Lodgement Requirements
  All applications must be submitted via the NSW Planning Portal with the correct labelling of documents.
• Site Waste & Recycling Management Plan – Part 1 Design and Ongoing Management
  This plan must be submitted with your DA to demonstrate to Council that the requirements for waste and recycling storage and management have been adequately addressed. It will ensure that during future use of the property waste and recycling can be collected in an efficient and safe manner and occupants can recycle as much as possible. For large developments comprising more than 20 units or mixed use premises a comprehensive SWRMP prepared by a suitably qualified consultant may be submitted instead of the SWRMP forms.
• Site Waste & Recycling Management Plan – Part 2  Construction and Demolition
  This plan must be submitted with your DA application to ensure that you are meeting Council’s objectives for minimising the amount of construction waste that is sent to landfill, maximising reuse of materials and ensure the safe removal and disposal of hazardous building materials.
• Waste Calculator
  If you require assistance calculating the number of bins and storage requirements for waste and recycling at your proposed residential development, you can click on this link to use council’s Waste Calculator that calculates the number of bins required in accordance with the Waverley Council Development Control Plan.
• Political Donations and Gifts Disclosure Statement
  This statement may be required when lodging a DA or making a submission on a DA.
• Cost Summary Report
  This is required for development with an estimated cost of less than $500,000
• Detailed Cost Report
  This is required for development with an estimated cost of more than $500,000 and is to be prepared by a Registered Quantity Surveyor

Other information that may assist you in preparing your application is:

• Colour Code for Plans
  Provides the standard colours to be used on plans to identify materials used in the development.
• 3D Digital Models
  This checklist will help you if you are required to submit a 3D digital model as part of your Development Application (DA). Visit our 3D Digital Modelling webpage for more information.
• Inter-War Building Design Guidelines
  These Guidelines apply to Development Applications concerning Inter-War buildings and should be considered in conjunction with Part B16 of the WDCP 2022. Such buildings are typically built between 1914 and 1950 and have identifiable Inter-War characteristics.
• Non-Residential Development
  Additional information for applicants of non-residential development (eg. commercial premises) including a change of use application are required to submit this form with additional details regarding the operation of the development.
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021
  Additional information for applications where the provisions for Chapter 2 Affordable Housing of the Housing SEPP apply.
• Soil And Water Management Plan- information sheet
• Social Impact Assessment Guidelines 
  These Guidelines highlight the importance of and guide the assessment of social impacts of proposed development. They outline what social impacts are, whether a Social Impact Statement report is required for DA or Planning Proposal lodgement and what a Social Impact Statement report should contain.

For further details on how we assess your application, refer to How We Assess Your Development Application page.