Complying development, explained simply
Short, plain-English guides for homeowners, builders, drafters and certifiers. Each one is checked against NSW Government sources and dated, because the rules change.
CDC vs DA in NSW: which approval do you need?
CDC or DA? How complying development compares with a development application in NSW: timeframes, cost, who decides, neighbour notice and when you have no choice.
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Why CDC plans fail: the standards that trip people up
The Housing Code standards that most often sink a NSW CDC: building height, storeys, front, side and rear setbacks, and landscaped area, with the figures for each lot size.
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Can you even use CDC on your block? The land exclusions checklist
A plain-English checklist of the land where NSW complying development can't be used: BAL-40 and BAL-FZ bushfire land, heritage items, environmentally sensitive land, foreshore areas and more.
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Granny flats under CDC: the 60 m² rule and the traps
Building a granny flat under a NSW CDC: the 60 m² floor area limit, the 450 m² minimum lot, no subdivision, and the floor area traps that cause certifier complaints and court cases.
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Accepted, declined or returned: what happens after you lodge a CDC
What happens after you lodge a complying development certificate on the NSW Planning Portal: accept, decline or return, what each status means, and why the 20-day timeframe only runs on a complete application.
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The 2026 CDC variations proposal, explained simply
The NSW Government's 2026 proposal to allow variations to complying development standards: height up to 9 m (9.5 m for terraces), up to 10% more floor area, a 10-day council decision, and current status.
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What the variations pathway means for certifiers: the 10-day council clock
For NSW private certifiers: how the proposed CDC variation pathway would work, the 10-day council clock and deemed approval, the 3 to 4 variation cap, split approvals, fees, and councils' objections.
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Your neighbour is building under a CDC: what are your rights?
When a neighbour builds under a NSW complying development certificate: who gets notice (within 20 m), the 14-day and 7-day notices, why you can't object, and what you can do if you think it doesn't comply.
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The NSW Housing Pattern Book: the 10-day CDC pathway
How the NSW Housing Pattern Book CDC pathway works: 10-day approval, 7 days' neighbour notice, the eight low-rise designs, what you can change, eligible land, and the Design Verification Statement.
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Front setbacks and the proposed "match the neighbours" rule
How the NSW Housing Code front (primary road) setback works today, and the 2026 proposal to align it with one of the two nearest houses within 40 m. With worked examples.
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When a CDC goes wrong: lessons from court cases
Lessons from NSW Land and Environment Court cases on invalid complying development certificates, including Bankstown v Ramahi (No 2), Hornsby v Trives and Wollondilly v Kennedy.
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