CDC: the fast track
A CDC combines planning and construction approval in one certificate, issued by council or an accredited certifier where every relevant standard is met. On an eligible site it can be issued in as little as around 20 days. The trade-off: it's all-or-nothing. Miss one standard (lot size, frontage, setback, an overlay) and you're not eligible.
DA: the merit-assessed path
A DA is assessed by council against the LEP and DCP, weighing streetscape, privacy, overshadowing, parking, stormwater and neighbourhood impact. It's slower and involves more documentation, but it allows design merit and flexibility that CDC doesn't, including, where justified, a Clause 4.6 variation to a development standard.
When CDC usually isn't available
- Battle-axe (hatchet-shaped) lots are excluded from the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code.
- Heritage items and heritage conservation areas are excluded.
- Many flood and bushfire situations don't meet CDC standards.
- Any shortfall on lot size, frontage, setbacks, height or open space.
How we decide
We test your site against the CDC standards first. If it comfortably complies, CDC is usually the faster, more certain route. If it doesn't, we design to the DA's merit assessment, which often unlocks a better outcome than forcing a marginal CDC.
Frequently asked questions
When a site genuinely qualifies, yes, it skips the merit assessment. But pushing a marginal site down the CDC path can waste time if it's later found ineligible. We check eligibility properly first.
Authoritative sources: NSW Planning Portal, NSW Low Rise Housing Diversity Code.