Development - FAQ's

Fees for development are found in Council's Goods and Services Fee Schedule, which can be found in related information section.

Fee's are generally based around the cost of the development proposal for Development Applications. They are calculated based on the size and complexity of a proposal for Construction Certificates and Complying Development Certificates.

For additional information regarding fee's please contact our Customer Service team for a quote over the phone. 

The following information must accompany an application for Development Consent, Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate.

Building Plans (6 copies required) which indicate / consist of / are accompanied by:

(a) A Site Plan - showing the: please refer to the Western Sydney Recycling Directory for construction and demolition waste(PDF, 5MB) for appropriate ways to reuse and recycle this type of waste from development sites.

(b) A plan of each floor section,

(c) A plan of each building elevation,

(d) The level of the lowest floor in relation to adjacent ground level,

(e) The height, design, construction (ie: sectional elevation), and

(f) Details of soil erosion control methods, where necessary, in accordance with Council's Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Policy.

Building Specifications (Construction & Complying Development Certificates Only - 2 copies required) - which describe in detail the construction methods and materials for the proposed building or alteration, the method of drainage, sewage and water supply and shall state whether the proposed materials are new or secondhand.

Notification Plans (Development Consent Applications Only - 6 copies required) - A plan up to A3 in size showing the height and external configuration of the building in relation to the site and being adequate to allow adjacent owners/occupants to gain an understanding of the proposal. A notification plan is not required where the application proposes internal work not affecting the external building elevations.

Statement of Environmental Effects (Development Consent Applications Only - 5 copies required) - A written statement which demonstrates that the applicant has considered the impact of the proposed development on both the natural and built environments before and after construction and the proposed method/s to mitigate any adverse impact/s.

Waste Management Plan (Development Consent Applications and Complying Development Certificates only - 1 copy required), indicating:

(a) the type, volume and/or weight of all waste expected to be generated by the construction or demolition works. Please refer to the Western Sydney Recycling Directory(PDF, 3MB) for construction and demolition waste for appropriate ways to reuse and recycle this type of waste from development sites.

(b) How any waste is to be stored and/or treated on the project site,

(c) How any residual waste is to be dispersed, and

(d) Ongoing waste management on the project site.

Application Fees - For information regarding Council's Fees & Charges, visit the Goods and Services Pricing Schedule found here, or contact the Blacktown City Information Centre on 9839 6000.

Completed Application Form - Copies of the Application forms are available here, or alternatively through contact with the Blacktown City Information Centre.

All building approvals since July 1998 are issued under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979.

There are several types of development that affect particularly residential building construction, including:

• Exempt Development is minor development that does not require any approval.
• Complying Development is development that has low environmental impact and which can be certified as complying with predetermined standards.
• Local Development is development other than Exempt, Complying or State Significant Development, requiring the Consent of Council. Council must assess the merits of the Application, including any submissions, before deciding whether to approve or refuse a Development Application.

Please refer to the following Department of Planning and Infrastructure website for further information on the NSW planning system.

Certain types of minor developments, such as fences, pergolas, barbeques, are considered Exempt Development and thus do not need council approval as long as the proposal complies with the relevant criteria. For additional information it is available here.

Complying Development is development that has low environmental impact and which can be certified as complying with predetermined standards. A Complying Development Certificate can be issued either by Council or an Accredited Certifier.

Currently, a Complying Development Certificate can be issued for a proposal complying with the development standards nominated under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008.

For a detailed explanation of the Complying Development process, please refer our Complying Development webpage found here.

No. It is an offence under the provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to commence work before Development Consent and a Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate have been issued.

Some areas of Blacktown are located within bushfire prone areas. Council has maps available for viewing at the Information Centre on the ground floor of the Civic Centre to assist in determining the impacts of bushland on your property. Further information on bushfire protection may also be obtained from the Rural Fire Service - www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

Any pool that was constructed after 1 August 1990 must be provided with a child resistant barrier such as a pool fence which complies with the requirements of Australian Standard 1926.

A pool is defined under the Swimming Pools Act 1992 as:

an excavation, structure or vessel:

• that is capable of being filled with water to a depth of 300 millimetres or more; and
• that is solely or principally used, or that is designed, manufactured or adapted to be solely or principally used, for the purpose of swimming, wading, paddling or other human aquatic activity,
• and includes a spa pool, but does not include a spa bath, anything that is situated within a bathroom or anything declared by the regulation not to be a swimming pool for the purposes of this Act
• Approval is required prior to the construction or installation of any new swimming pool or spa.

Council's Swimming Pool Guidelines provides a summary of the requirements for both new and existing pools and can be found to the right.

Council's  Swimming Pool Guidelines provides a summary of the requirements for swimming pool fencing for both new and existing pools. This can be found to the right.