If you're planning to build or renovate in Lake Macquarie, it's likely you'll need to submit a Development Application to gain consent from Council. There's a few ways to do this:
To apply for a Development Application online, you must be registered with Council's Online Services. Registration can take up to one business day to process.
Register now
The type of information that accompanies a Development Application will very depending on your proposal and site. This may include:
Your Development Application should address all relevant matters, up-front, in your Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE). This will help to avoid additional information requests, and will help to ensure an efficient and smooth process.
A range of plans and documents, as outlined in Schedule 1 of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, must be submitted with your application. The specific plans and documents will vary depending on your development.
For advice on what to submit, contact our Customer Service Centre on 02 4921 0333, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, and ask to speak with a Duty Officer.
Once you have all the required documentation, you're ready to lodge your Development Application. You'll need to upload electronic versions of the required documentation in order to complete you application.
Lodge a Development Application
Lodgement fees will be calculated by Council staff and provided to you in writing after we've received your Development Application.
Your Development Application will not be determined until all outstanding fees have been paid.
Registered users can lodge Development Applications for local development online using the NSW Planning Portal.
You can apply for Construction Certificates, Subdivision Certificates and Occupation Certificates as part of the Development Application process.
If you're proposing a medium or major development, you are required to submit your Development Application at a Lodgement Interview.
To book a Lodgement Interview, call us on 4921 0685, Monday-Friday, 8.30am-4.30pm.
Refer to the information below for more on medium and major development types.
Amusement centre
Affordable housing
Animal boarding or training establishment
Backpackers accommodation
Boarding house
Boat building and repair facility
Bulky good premises (greater than 3,500sqm)
Business premises (greater than 2,500sqm)
Camping ground
Caravan park (additions)
Cellar door premises
Charter and tourism boating facility
Child care centre (new)
Commercial premises (greater than 2.500sqm)
Depot
Eco-tourism facility
Educational establishment (additions)
Emergency services facility
Health services facility (additions)
High technology industry
Highway service centre
Horticulture
Hotel/motel accommodation
Industrial activity
Industrial retail outlet
Industrial training facility
Information and education facility
Intensive plant agriculture
Landscaping material supplies
Light industry
Multiple dwelling housing (smaller than 30 lots)
Office premises (greater than 2,500sqm)
Place of public worship
Plant nursery
Public administration building
Public utility undertaking
Recreation facility (indoor or outdoor)
Registered club
Research station
Respite day care centre
Retail premises (greater than 2,500sqm)
Self-storage units
Service station
Serviced apartment (smaller than 30 units)
Shop (greater than 2,500sqm)
Shop-top housing
Small bar
Storage premises
Subdivision (8-30 lots)
Telecommunications facility
Timber yard
Truck depot
Vehicle body repair workshop
Vehicle sales or hire premises
Veterinary hospital
Warehouse or distribution centre
Water storage facility
Wholesale supplies
Agriculture produce industry
Agriculture
Air transport facility
Airport
Airstrip
Aquaculture
Bio-solids treatment facility
Brothel
Canal estate development
Caravan park (new)
Cemetery or crematorium
Correctional facility
Dairy
Educational establishment (new)
Electricity generating works
Extensive agriculture
Extractive industry
Feedlot
Forestry
Freight transport facility
Hazardous industry
Hazardous storage establishment
Health services facility
Heavy industrial storage establishment
Heavy industry
Helipad or heliport
Hospital
Intensive livestock agriculture
Liquid fuel depot
Livestock processing facility
Marina
Mine/open cut mine
Mixed use development
Mortuary
Multiple dwelling housing (more than 30 lots)
Offensive industry
Offensive storage establishment
Passenger transport facility
Port facilities
Residential care facility
Residential flat building
Resource recovery facility
Restriction facilities
Rural industry
Sawmill or log processing works
Seniors housing
Serviced apartment (more than 30 units)
Sewerage system, reticulation system or treatment plant
Sex services premises
Stock and sale yard
Subdivision (more than 30 lots)
Transport depot
Turf farming
Viticulture
Waste disposal facility
Waste or resource transfer station
Water recycling facility
Water reticulation system
Water treatment facility
Wharf or boating facility
Some types of development do not require approval from Council.
For more information on exempt and complying developments:
You can apply for a Construction Certificate alongside your Development Application, or after your Development Application has been determined.