NSW Planning Hub website makes development planning easier

Please note that the information in this article was based on trends from 2015 and may now be outdated. 

Getting building permissions and development approvals can be confusing and time-consuming. But with the recent launch of the NSW Government’s Planning Hub website, residents who are building a new home or planning a home renovation can now rest easy.

Whether you’re thinking of putting up a granny flat, extending your deck, or building a new home, the Planning Hub website can assist you in checking if your plans comply with the current legislation. Aside from providing you with easy access to essential planning information, the site also gives you interactive tools that can help you assess your plans independently and make changes before actually applying for development approval. By using these tools, you can cut planning time and reduce the risk of getting your plans rejected.

There are currently six planning tools on the site, but the NSW Government promises to add other tools and features as they get more feedback from users. Here’s a brief overview of each tool.

• BASIX – The BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) website is teeming with facts on how to get a BASIX certificate for your building project. You can use the BASIX assessment tool to check your current design online against sustainability targets.
• Electronic Housing Code – The Electronic Housing Code is a free tool that can help you see whether your proposal falls under exempt or complying development.
• Interactive Buildings – The Interactive Buildings tool allows you to check what changes can be made to common types of properties that don’t necessitate planning or building approvals.
• Local Development Performance Monitoring – All statistics and data sets about development applications and compliance certificates can be viewed here.
• Local Insights – Not sure where to move? Local Insights can help you out. This tool provides an interactive map with relevant data and demographics about each suburb in NSW.
• Planning Viewer – The Planning Viewer is another interactive map tool that lets you know of any development restrictions applicable to your property.

The Planning Hub is a gold mine of information for anyone who’s thinking of building anything. Whether you’re building a new home, developing a commercial building, or adding a structure such as a deck, garage, or swimming pool to your existing property, the easy-to-use tools on the Planning Hub can help you out.