Determination (Approval or Refusal)

There are three levels at which Council determine (approve or refuse) development applications (including applications to amend consents, and applications for review of determination):

  1. Staff delegation with oversight by our Team Leader and Manager Development Assessment
  2. Development Assessment Committee - Delegated (DAC-DEL)
  3. Development Assessment Committee (DAC)
  4. Full Council 

The level at which applications are determined depends upon the delegations determined from time to time by Council. 

NSW law permits other bodies to determine development applications. Read more about the:

Applications that are appealed are determined by the Land and Environment Court.

Delegations

Staff have delegated authority to determine most applications.  What this means is that in the majority of cases applications are lodged, assessed and approved or refused by staff rather than in any Council Committee or by Council itself.

Review our delegations: pdf icon Planning and Development Delegations 24 Nov 2010 (213.69kB)

Development Assessment Committee Delegations

In 2003, to reduce the number of applications being reported to and considered by Council's Development Assessment Committee, Council adopted a process where staff provides reports to Councillors called "DAC-DEL" reports.  Councillors review these reports and if, having regards to the circumstances of the application, they require the application to be reported to the Development Assessment Committee for determination, Councillors may "call-in" the application, providing reasons why the application has been called in.

The process is summarised in this flow chart: pdf icon Development Assessment Committee - Delegations Process (209.63kB)

Notice of determination

You will receive a Notice of Determination in the mail and you can track your DA online. Each person who made a comment or objection will also receive a Notice of Determination.

The Notice of Determination sets out the terms of the consent, appeal rights and conditions. Or, in the case of a refusal, the reasons for refusal.

As a general rule, objectors have no right of appeal on the merits of the determination.

Email a friend…Close this form

* Mandatory fields