Received notification of a Development Application on a neighbouring property? This guide explains why you’ve been notified, what to look for in the application and how to clearly raise your concerns with Council.
Prefer professional assistance? We can independently review the Development Application and prepare a planning objection on your behalf, with streamlined objection packages from $1200 + GST.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR NOTIFICATION
Receiving a notification from Council usually means that a Development Application has been lodged for a nearby property and Council is providing you with an opportunity to review the proposal and make a submission.
Depending on the type and location of the development, Council may notify adjoining or nearby property owners and occupiers for a nominated period. Receiving a notification does not mean the development has been approved — the application is still being assessed.
The notification should provide details of the Development Application, where the plans and supporting documents can be viewed and the date by which any submission should be made.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Don’t worry about planning terminology at this stage. Think about the practical impacts the development may have on you or the surrounding area.
These might include privacy, overlooking, overshadowing, view loss, building height and bulk, traffic, parking, noise, heritage or impacts on trees and landscaping.
Photographs can be extremely useful. Take photos showing existing views, windows, private open spaces, vegetation or anything else that helps Council understand the relationship between your property and the proposed development.
Keep copies of your notification and any other relevant correspondence or information.
If you have concerns, you can make a submission to Council explaining the issues you would like considered as part of its assessment.
You do not need to be a town planner or prepare a lengthy technical report. Your submission can be written in plain English and even presented as simple dot points.
WRITING YOUR OBJECTION
Council does not expect neighbouring residents to understand every planning control or use technical planning language. If you have a genuine concern about a proposed development, the most important thing is to explain what concerns you, where the impact will occur and how it may affect your property or the surrounding area.
Plain English is completely fine. So are dot points. You don’t need to prepare a 50-page report or fill your objection with planning terminology you don’t understand.
For example, rather than trying to determine the technical planning test for privacy impacts, you can simply explain that a proposed upper-floor window or balcony appears to overlook your living area, backyard or private open space. Council’s assessing planner can then consider that concern against the relevant planning controls.
A strong objection doesn’t need to be complicated. Focus on the issues that matter, explain them clearly and give Council enough information to understand why you’re concerned.
Explain what part of the development concerns you and where the impact occurs.
Tell Council how the proposal may affect your property, amenity or the surrounding area.
Photos can often explain a relationship, view or privacy concern much more clearly than several paragraphs of text.
Breaking your concerns into issues such as Privacy, Overshadowing, View Loss or Traffic and Parking makes the submission easier to understand and assess.
USING SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Photographs are one of the simplest ways to help Council understand your concerns. They provide context that can sometimes be difficult to explain from architectural plans alone and can clearly show the relationship between the proposed development and your property.
Useful photographs might show existing views, windows and balconies, private open space, neighbouring buildings, vegetation, the streetscape or the location of a particular impact you are concerned about.
When taking photographs, try to show the broader context rather than focusing too closely on one particular feature. A clear photograph taken from the location where the impact will actually be experienced, together with a short caption explaining what it shows, can provide valuable information for the assessing planner.
For concerns such as view loss, privacy and overlooking, photographs can be particularly important in helping a planner understand the existing relationship between the properties.
PREPARING YOUR SUBMISSION
A good objection should help Council understand what the planning concern is and how the proposed development may affect you, your property or the surrounding area. Try to focus on the development itself rather than the people proposing it.
You don’t need to agree with every aspect of the proposal or identify every possible planning issue. Focus on the matters that genuinely concern you and provide enough information for the assessing planner to understand why.
Keep the language calm, factual and respectful. A strong planning objection is about clearly identifying the issues — not demonstrating how angry you are about the development.
DON’T MISS YOUR DEADLINE
Development Application notification procedures are generally governed by Council’s adopted community participation or notification requirements. Where an application is formally notified, Council is required to consider submissions received during the relevant notification period as part of its assessment.
Your notification letter should identify the date by which submissions are requested. If you intend to object, it is important to make sure something is provided to Council within this timeframe.
Sometimes notification letters arrive late due to postal delays, public holidays or other circumstances, leaving very little time to review the application. If this occurs, you can contact Council, explain that you have only recently become aware of the application and request a brief extension. Council is not necessarily required to grant an extension, so you should not rely on additional time being provided.
If the deadline is approaching, consider lodging a brief initial objection rather than missing the notification period altogether. This might simply state that you object to the development and intend to provide further information, or briefly identify your main concerns in dot points. A more detailed submission can then be provided as soon as possible.
If time is critical, Town Planning Collective can review the Development Application and prepare a professional planning objection on your behalf. Where the application documents are available and a site inspection is not required, objections can often be prepared within a relatively short timeframe.
OBJECTION DETAILS
There are many different planning issues that may form part of an objection. The matters relevant to your submission will depend on the type of development, the site and how the proposal may affect your property or the surrounding area. Some common concerns include:
Privacy & Overlooking
Windows, balconies or elevated areas that may unreasonably overlook private living areas or open space.
Overshadowing
Additional shadow impacts on neighbouring homes and private open space.
View Loss
Impacts on existing views and whether the proposal achieves a reasonable level of view sharing.
Bulk, Scale & Visual Impact
Whether the size, height, setbacks or appearance of the development creates unreasonable impacts.
Traffic & Parking
Additional traffic, parking demand, access or safety impacts associated with the proposal.
Heritage & Character
Impacts on heritage items, conservation areas, streetscape character or established neighbourhood character.
These are only some of the issues that may be relevant. You don’t need to identify every potential planning concern — focus on the issues that genuinely affect you and explain them as clearly as possible.
AFTER YOUR SUBMISSION
Once your objection has been submitted, Council will consider the issues you have raised as part of its assessment of the Development Application. Your objection does not automatically mean the application will be refused, but the relevant planning concerns raised should form part of Council’s consideration of the proposal.
During the assessment process, Council may request additional information from the applicant or changes may be made to the proposed development. In some circumstances, amended plans may be provided in response to issues identified by Council or raised through submissions.
Ultimately, Council or the relevant consent authority will determine the application based on its planning merits. This may result in the application being approved, approved with conditions, amended before approval, or refused.
Keep an eye on any correspondence from Council after making your submission. If the proposal is amended or additional information becomes available, consider whether the changes address your original concerns or whether further comments may be appropriate.
PROFESSIONAL PLANNING OBJECTIONS
Not every objection requires the same level of assistance. Some clients simply want an experienced town planner to review the Development Application and prepare the objection, while others would prefer to discuss their concerns directly with the planner or have the property inspected.
Our objection packages allow you to choose the level of assistance that suits your circumstances, without paying for meetings or site inspections you don’t need.
Professional desktop review of the Development Application and preparation of a written planning objection based on the relevant planning issues and the concerns you provide.
Includes: document review, planning assessment and completed objection provided electronically for you to submit to Council.
Email-based service. No consultation or site inspection.
From
$1200
From
$1800
Includes review of the Development Application, consultation and a site inspection to better understand site-specific impacts before preparing the objection.
Particularly useful where concerns involve view loss, privacy, overlooking, visual impact or the relationship between adjoining properties.
From
$2800
Not sure which option you need? Send us the Development Application details and a brief summary of your concerns. We’ll review the information and recommend the most appropriate level of assistance.
LET US HANDLE THE PLANNING
Received a Development Application notification and not sure where to start? We can independently review the proposal, identify the relevant planning issues and prepare a professional objection for you to submit directly to Council.
Professional planning objections from $1200 + GST.