Step 2: Prepare your DA

The pre-lodgement stage is the front end of the development assessment process. If you get the front end right you are likely to have a simple DA process.

Giving council an assessment-ready application with all required information will not ‘guarantee’ approval—however, it will promote an efficient process, saving time and money for both you and Council.

Get Informed

The development potential of your site is determined by its characteristics and the planning controls that apply to it.

Putting your team together

In preparing your DA you may need an architect or building designer to prepare (and cost) your plans, plus a number of specialists, depending on your site and your proposal e.g. land surveyor, engineer, town planner.

Please note: Council cannot recommend professional service providers under our Code of Conduct. It is recommended that you use web searches for the relevant service provider (i.e. town planner), and analyse the recent reviews of the noted businesses or providers. Otherwise, you can find experienced people by:

• Talking to friends and neighbours who have done similar work.
• Looking at similar designs locally and asking the owners.
• Searching at professional organisation registration websites.
• Looking at consultants used by others on Council’s DA tracking system.

As you move to construction you will need a principal certifying authority (council or private), a principal contractor (builder) and any relevant sub-contractors.

For smaller, less complicated developments like residential sheds, decks, and change of use, you may be able to provide these plans and basic planning reports yourself.

The requirement for plans is to be of a professional standard (clearly marked, a north point, to scale, and accurate). For basic planning reports such as a Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE), Council has templates to give you a really good head start on preparing these documents.

Pre-lodgement meetings with Council

Port Stephens Council offers a pre-lodgement meeting, a service provided for more complex, detailed, and/or large-scale developments where advice or clarity on requirements is required prior to lodgement of the DA. It is highly recommended that draft plans and/or independent planning advice be sought before a pre-lodgement meeting is requested, at a cost that is dependent on the development.

Pre-lodgement meetings incur a fee in accordance with the Port Stephens Schedule of Fees and Charges (in place as of the date that payment falls due). Payment must occur before the meeting takes place. Fees for the 2023/2024 financial year are as follows:

Depending upon the complexity of your proposal, once you have gathered information you can:

• Obtain over the counter advice from a council duty officer. This type of meeting is good for simple general inquiries or inquiries about minor developments.
• Make an appointment with a staff member. This type of meeting is good for projects requiring some general direction.
• A formal pre-lodgement meeting is encouraged where there is a specific contentious issue (e.g. heritage, flooding, stormwater constraints) or there's specific advice required from council to give a prospective position before lodgement, which would inform design or suitability.

Using our new smart fee service, you can get a quote by emailing devbuild@portstephens.nsw.gov.au or calling 02 4988 0255.

Costs

Building a home can be expensive. In your budget, you should consider all potential additional costs which may apply to your development. These could include:

• The DA fee, including the cost of referral to state government agencies.
• The construction certificate fee and fees incurred in the building process including inspections, engineer’s certificates etc.
• Development contributions payable for state and local services.
• Conditions that may be imposed by council such as bonds to cover damage to roads, environmental clean ups, or dilapidation surveys of attached properties.
• Water and other service connections.

Get in touch if you'd like to discuss these costs. Council's fees are charged in line with our Fees and Charges Schedule and are based on the estimated cost of works for the development.

Get talking to your neighbours

When you are preparing your plans think about how it will look from and impact on ‘next door’ and across the street.

Once you have a clear idea of your proposal, you should discuss it with your neighbours. Ideally, you should contact them early in the process. Consider issues such as privacy, solar access, views and visual impacts – especially if you are proposing to vary the LEP standards.

Most councils have a notification policy and will notify your direct neighbours once the DA is lodged.

Prepare your DA

The type of information accompanying a DA will vary depending on your proposal and site – when you speak to your council in the pre-lodgement stage you will be advised of the information they require. This may include:

• The owner’s consent (if you are not the owner).
• A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE).
• Site survey.
• Site analysis (see Figure 2).
• A BASIX Certificate – A BASIX certificate is an energy efficiency report for a new home or alterations and additions greater than $50,000 that demonstrates its sustainability.
• Other plans such as landscape or drainage plans.
• Specific technical reports required by state agencies.

For more information, review Council's supporting documentation guide.

Key point – Address all relevant matters in your application

Your DA should address all relevant matters, up-front, in your Statement of Environmental Effects. This will help to avoid additional information requests and will help to ensure an efficient and smooth process.