FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I select multiple properties for my proposal?
- Multiple properties in the same street. In this case use the street number range for that street, and then select the properties of interest
- Multiple properties within the same deposited plan (DP) or strata plan (SP). Enter the DP/SP number and select the required properties from the list that displays
- The properties have different street addresses. Search for the first property and tick to confirm it, then click More to search for the second property and tick to select that. Continue until all properties have been selected. Then tick Next to continue
How do I search for a unit number?
For example if the required address is something like 5/27 Smith St, enter the street address as 27 Smith St. The subsequent page will show all units at that address, for your selection. Note that multiple strata subdivisions may have occurred on that property, so there may be more items returned that you would expect, reflecting the sequence of strata subdivisions over time.
The map for the property does not show. What is wrong?
In some cases the map will not show for a property, for example if the property is proposed to be superseded, or multiple properties have been selected that are not together.
What should I do if my property is not found?
Things you may try include:
- Do not enter the street number. You will then be able to select a property from the list that is generated for you
- Select the street and suburb from the generated list to ensure you have a match with the system
What should I do if I can’t find a match in the list for my proposed use/activity?
- The use you require may be elsewhere in the list, e.g. Bed and Breakfast is within the Tourist Accommodation group, not Residential.
- Open All will show all uses in the list for you to view, with the ? providing some additional help text
- The list of uses/activities includes only those permissible uses on that property, i.e. prohibited uses are excluded from selection (but are shown for information at the bottom of the page)
- Development Enquiry includes the most common proposal types. You will need to contact Council for details about requirements for other uses/activities
What should I do when I don’t know the answers to all the questions?
- If the questions relate to the details of the proposal, e.g. size/location of a proposed structure, then you will need to repeat the enquiry to answer the question after the details of the proposal have been confirmed.
- If you are not sure of the size of the property, this information is available from
the Property Found page. Click on the icon next to the selected property (under
Details), and a page will display that includes the property size.
- Some questions apply to relatively few properties, however you may need to consult other sources (e.g. Council, NSW Planning etc.) to confirm the details. In some cases, the results of your enquiry may show documents that provide further explanation. Therefore you may need to repeat the enquiry if you have guessed incorrectly
I thought that my proposal would show a different result
The result is a complex calculation based on information about your property, your proposal and relevant planning policies/controls
- Check that you have answered the questions correctly (repeat the enquiry if necessary).
- If your selected property(ies) have several zones or are partly affected by different property attributes, then the result will be calculated based on the highest level of approval required. For example, your property may have one section of the land that is bushfire prone but you plan to build on the part of the land that is not affected. In these cases, there may be different requirements and you should contact Council to confirm the details.
- It is suggested that unless you are familiar with the system, you should just select one use/activity at a time to determine the outcome, in case there are different levels of approval required, e.g. if you want to build a new home with a pool, garage and boundary fencing – just select the major component of the proposal, which is a new dwelling.
- Also, if the land is zoned under the deferred Shoalhaven Local Environment Plan (SLEP) as 1(a), 1(g), 1(c1), 1(c2) or 1(c3) - the results of the enquiry may not be correct and you should contact Council for details on what approval is required. You can see the zone by looking at the first line of information when you hover on the ? on the Property Confirmation page (Step 2)
- You may have existing use rights that could change the level of approval required.
- Applicable Control documents may appear that you feel are not directly related to
your proposal, however these may apply to some enquiries. Also, in some cases, there
are system limitations that limit the ability to tailor the information any further.
If you are in any doubt about what approval is required, please contact Council.
What does it mean - is my proposal State Significant
Development or Designated Development?
State Significant developments (or major projects) require different levels of assessment
and in simple terms is required to be approved by the Minister for Planning. More
information about major projects is available from the
NSW Department of Planning.
Designated Development applies to certain types of proposals as listed in the Schedule
3 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, and may require an environmental impact statement to be prepared. Examples include marinas, aquaculture, paper pulp
industry or intensive livestock industry based on definitions contained in the schedule.
If you believe that your development may be State Significant or Designated Development, additional information
should be sought from Council or the
NSW Department of Planning.
Am I able to use Development Enquirer with dial up access to the Internet?
Dial up access will make it very slow to run, therefore broadband access is recommended.
I seem to be missing part of the data on the screen. What should I do?
If you have set your screen with large fonts or low resolution, you may need to use the scroll bars
(left/right and up/down) to see the additional detail. Alternatively, set your screen to smaller fonts and/or use higher resolution settings.
If you see a blank screen, you may have requested to open a large document and these may take
some time to display. The size of the document is generally displayed next to the
document name before you click to open it.
I have problems with printing. What should I do?
Development Enquiry is suited to online viewing of documents, and some documents will print in a very simple format. There may be references to page numbers etc that relate to the original formatted document.
Before printing, use Print Preview to ensure that the text is not chopped off (use Page Setup to adjust margins or change to landscape if appropriate). Also, you should check the number of pages, as some documents are quite long.
Do I need a Section 149 planning certificate? How do I found out if there is a building line requirement or similar constraint on the land?
Some specific constraints like building line variations (setbacks etc.) are not incorporated into Development Enquiry.
You may need to contact Council to obtain a Section 149 planning certificate (2) and (5) and to further discuss the details of your proposal.
Click here for a Section 149 planning certificate application form
Are draft policies, document control plans included for display in Development Enquiry?
No - draft policies, document control plans etc are not included for display. While every effort is made to update Development
Enquiry in a timely manner, there may be periods where a new or amended document is not available at the time the changes become legally effective.
What fees may apply if I need to lodge an application?
Fees vary quite a lot depending on the nature of the proposal, but may include fees for the development application/construction certificate,
Section 94 contributions, Section 64 contributions etc. Further information is available in the guideline document included in the Development Enquiry page “Prepare an Application”, or you may contact Council for more details.
What are Section 94 Contributions and do they apply?
These are developer contributions for community services and other facilities that may apply based on the type of development and whether it creates additional demand for those services and facilities.
Please refer to the information sheet, click here
What are Section 64 Contributions and do they apply?
These are developer contributions for water and sewer infrastructure and services that are generated by the development proposal.
Council’s policy statement is available from the current adopted Management Plan, and contact should be made with Shoalwater concerning specific calculations.
Where can I find information about the water and sewer services provided by Council?
Please refer to the Shoalwater website, click here
Is there a rebate if I install a rainwater tank?
A rebate may apply, click here for details
What is BASIX and does it apply to my development?
Introduced by the NSW Government, BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) ensures homes are designed to use less water and be responsible
for fewer greenhouse gas emissions by setting energy and water reduction targets. The NSW Government requires compliance with BASIX for all
new dwellings (including units, dual occupancy and similar) and additions or alteration and swimming pools.
Click here for details
What planning information is available from the state government?
Please refer the relevant website, click here