Complying Development

Complying development is a combined planning and construction approval for straightforward development that can be determined through a fast track assessment by a council or privately accredited certifier. Complying development applies to homes, businesses and industry and allows for a range of things like the construction of a new dwelling house, alterations and additions to a house, new industrial buildings, demolition of a building and changes to a business use.

Complying development generally includes larger building works than exempt development. For this reason ‘sign off’ by a building professional (known as a certifying authority) is needed. Complying development is also subject to conditions of approval to protect surrounding uses during the construction period and the life of the complying development.

The majority of exempt and complying development types and their development standards are found in the State Policy for exempt and complying development. You can view the policy on the NSW Legislation website:
State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000

An online tool is available through the Electronic Housing Code (EHC) website that allows you to determine if you are able to proceed as complying development. Complying Development Applications can be lodged directly to Council or electronically through the EHC Website. Your development will still be subject to conditions of approval to protect surrounding uses during the construction period and the life of the development.