Home renovations

You do not need planning or construction approval for some minor renovations and low-impact works (exempt development) if your project meets specific development standards.

The standards you must comply with for most exempt development works are in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the State Policy).

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for exempt development

Complying development is a fast-track approval process for straightforward residential, commercial and industrial development.

For this reason, ‘sign off’ by a building professional (known as a certifying authority) is needed. Provided the proposal fully meets specific development standards, it can be determined by Council or a registered certifier without the need for a full development application.

Complying development is also subject to conditions of approval to protect surrounding uses during the construction period and the life of the complying development.

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for complying development

All developments, big or small, must address state government and Council planning controls:

• NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (in particular Section 4.15)
• relevant state and regional plans
• Tweed LEP

Find out the zoning that affects your property using Council's online mapping tool.

• Download a property report from the ePlanning Spatial Viewer
• Purchase a Section 10.7 Planning Certificate

An eco-tourist facility is a building or place that:

• provides temporary or short-term accommodation to visitors on a commercial basis
• is located in or adjacent to an area with special ecological or cultural features
• is sensitively designed and located so as to minimise bulk, scale and overall physical footprint and any ecological or visual impact.

It may include facilities that are used to provide information or education to visitors and to exhibit or display items.

Do I need approval?

Yes, you will need to lodge a Development Application for an eco-tourist facility.

• NSW Legislation - Eco-tourist facilities

We recommend engaging a suitable professional to help with the requirements for subdivision and preparing your application.

• Developer contributions
• DA Checklist - Commercial and Industrial Development(PDF, 292KB)
• DCP - Site Access and Parking (required parking)(PDF, 850KB)

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment also has a useful guide to the DA process.

If you're planning to build a new farm building, find out what approval is required before your project commences.

Do I need approval?

You will not need approval if the farm building meets all the relevant standards:

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for exempt development
• NSW Legislation - Subdivision 16 Farm buildings (other than stock holding yards, grain silos and grain bunkers)

If the proposal doesn't qualify as exempt development, you may be able to apply for a Complying Development Certificate or a Development Application.

Do I qualify for a Complying Development Certificate?

A Complying Development Certificate may be issued if the proposal meets all the relevant development standards:

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for complying development
• NSW Legislation - Land on which complying development may not be carried out
• NSW Legislation - Part 3A Rural Housing Code

If your proposal does not meet all of the standards you must lodge a Development Application. 

I need a DA, what do I do next?

If your proposal does not qualify as Complying Development, you will need to lodge a Development Application and Construction Certificate.

• DA Checklist - Dual occupancy, secondary dwellings, town house, row houses alteration and additions, sheds, pergolas, swimming pool(PDF, 725KB)

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment also has a useful guide to the DA process.

Your retaining wall project may or may not require approval. Find out what approval is required before your project commences.

Do I need approval?

You will not need approval if the retaining wall meets all the relevant standards:

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for exempt development
• NSW Legislation - Subdivision 15 Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support

If the proposal doesn't qualify as exempt development, you may be able to apply for a Complying Development Certificate or a Development Application.

Do I qualify for a Complying Development Certificate?

A Complying Development Certificate may be issued for works including earthworks and retaining walls if the proposal meets all the relevant development standards:

• NSW Legislation - General requirements for complying development
• NSW Legislation - Housing Code

If your proposal does not meet all of the standards you must lodge a Development Application. 

I need a DA, what do I do next?

If your proposal does not qualify as Complying Development, you will need to lodge a Development Application.

• DA Checklist - Earthworks(PDF, 221KB)

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment also has a useful guide to the DA process.

As defined by the Tweed LEP 2014, a rural worker's dwelling is a building or place that is additional to a dwelling house on the same lot.

It is used predominantly as a place of residence by persons employed, whether on a long-term or short-term basis, for the purpose of agriculture or a rural industry on that land.

Do I need approval?

Yes, you will need to lodge a Development Application for a rural worker's dwelling. Additional requirements for approval are outlined in the Tweed LEP 2014:

• NSW Legislation - 4.2C Erection of rural workers’ dwellings in Zones RU1 and RU2

We recommend engaging a suitable professional to help with the requirements for subdivision and preparing your application.

• Developer contributions
• DA Checklist - Commercial and Industrial Development(PDF, 292KB)
• DCP - Site Access and Parking (required parking)(PDF, 850KB)

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment also has a useful guide to the DA process.

Hempcrete is a sustainable building material made from the inner woody fibres of the hemp plant, combined with lime and water. It is a more sustainable alternative to traditional materials like concrete. Hempcrete is known for its excellent thermal performance, lightweight nature, and carbon-negative properties.

Rammed earth is a traditional building technique that involves compacting a mixture of earth, chalk, lime, or gravel tightly within a frame or mold to create a solid and durable wall. This construction method has been used for centuries and is known for its sustainability, thermal mass properties, and aesthetic appeal.

Using recycled timber reduces the demand for new wood and minimizes environmental impact. Reclaimed timber from old structures can be repurposed for new construction.

Innovations in concrete alternatives, such as geopolymer concrete or high-performance recycled aggregates, aim to reduce the environmental impact of traditional concrete.

While not a specific material, the use of modular and prefabricated construction methods is gaining popularity for its efficiency, reduced waste, and faster construction times.