Solar farms and battery storage (BESS) developments are rapidly expanding across rural NSW. This guide explains how these projects are approved, key planning constraints, and the role of a town planner in the process.

Property developers best friend is knowledge! Make an informed decision on your next property purchase by getting a pre-purchase feasibility report for as little as $400. Determine whether you can subdivide a site, building a duplex or a town house development before making an offer on the site.

The statement of environmental effects is the most important report for a development application with Council. It is the cornerstone of any good development application and provides details of the development and an assessment of the compliance of the proposal against the relevant legislation and development controls (LEP and DCP). A good statement of environmental effects can make the difference between an approval or a refusal and can streamline the timeframe of the process.

Where a development doesn’t comply with the LEP development standard (such as minimum lot size, height of building and Floor Space Ratio) a variation to the development standard can be sought through the inclusion of a clause 4.6 report. We provide details regarding the report and where a variation might be appropriate.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a crime prevention strategy that focuses on the planning, design and structure of cities and neighbourhoods. We discuss the principles of CPTED that are required to be assessed in any Crime Risk Reports for development applications.

Review of Environmental Factors State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 allows schools, TAFE and Universities to obtain approval for developments without requiring Council Development Application approval. We explain the process and what types of development can be achieved without Council approval.

We recently prepared an objection letter to a Queensland Council on behalf of local residents of Mount Fox regarding a battery farm for a solar panel project. The battery farm was in an ecological area with concerns regard bushfire and clearing of native vegetation.

Are you looking at purchasing a property and want to know what you can do with the site? Or maybe you already own a property and want to know how you can maximise the site. We can assist with a preliminary town planning report to determine what is permissible within your zoning.