Before you start designing your proposal, you will need to obtain information on how your property may be used and any restrictions on the development of your land in New South Wales. This information can be found in a Section 10.7 Planning Certificate or Zoning Certificate, previously known as Section 149 Planning Certificate.
S10.7 Planning Certificates contain information on how a property may be used and the restrictions on development.
There are two types of Planning Certificates – a Basic Planning Certificate (s10.7(2) or a Full Planning Certificate s10.7(5).
A Basic Planning Certificate under Section 10.7(2) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 provides information on the development potential of a parcel of land and the planning restrictions that apply. Some of the matters include:
- Local Environment Plan (LEP)
- Land use zone and table (developments that may be permissible or prohibited)
- Development Control Plan (DCP)
- State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP)
- Minimum land area for building a dwelling house
- Complying development
- Exempt development
- Heritage (conservation areas and heritage items)
- Council policies on hazard risk restrictions
- Bushfire-prone land
- Flood controls
- Contributions plans
- Biodiversity controls
- Loose-fill asbestos insulation
- Building product rectification orders
- Aircraft noise level from Canberra Airport (within or outside ANEF 20)
- Contaminated land audits and orders
- Development consent conditions for seniors housing
A Full Planning Certificate under Section 10.7(5) of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 provides you with all of the information contained above within the Basic Planning Certificate, plus the following additional information:
- Vegetation clearing controls
- Road access and maintenance (council or private)
- Road noise affectation if known
- Other restrictions that impact land use
- Resolutions of Council to amend the Local Environmental Plan
We have developed a guide to help you apply for your planning certificate. Download it here(PDF, 112KB).
Apply online for your 10.7 planning certificate.
A Section 603 Certificate is applied for by the purchaser/solicitor when purchasing a property and provides information relating to the property such as:
- Property number and address
- Current owners name
- Legal description of the property
- Rates and charges levied for the current year
- Outstanding rates and charges
- Water usage account outstanding
- The cost of a Section 603 Certificate is payable on application
You can also request a combined Section 603 and special water reading certificate.
Once the certificate has been generated, you can call up to provide up-to-date information. This can be provided for up to six weeks from the date of issue shown on the certificate.
Apply online for your 603 certificate.
Applications can be made for an Outstanding Notice Certificate. This certificate will list any outstanding notices Council has issued under the following Acts:
- Section 735A of the Local Government Act
- Section schedules of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
- Clean Up or Prevention Notices under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act
- Improvement or Prohibition Notices under the Food Act
- Notices under the Swimming Pools Act
A single application and fee covers all the above mentioned Acts. You may apply for an Outstanding Notice Certificate at any time, but a certificate is most often needed before property settlement.
Apply online for your outstanding notices certificate.
The building/subdivision entitlement search service provided by Council to assist property owners, potential purchasers and developers in establishing Council's legislative ability to grant development consent for the erection of a dwelling/subdivision upon a parcel of land.
It should be noted that this service provides advice in relation to Council's legislative ability to grant development consent for the purposes of a dwelling/subdivision upon the site only and does not guarantee approval of any future development application. The construction of a dwelling/subdivision on any lot would still require the lodgement of a development application proposal under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 which would be assessed upon its merit.
Download the Property Information Enquiry Form here.(PDF, 222KB)
This form can also be used for Section 94/Section 64 Contribution enquiries, check Weed Control Notices and to request a Bush Fire Assessment.