A change in state government regulations is likely to impact Shoalhaven residents.
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As of March, changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act mean that many development applications that once required council to notify neighbours will be given approval without any notification.
Council is not required to provide notification to neighbours, or surrounding businesses about complying or exempt developments including single storey additions, a detached single-storey dwelling house and single storey carports, garages and pergolas.
The list of complying developments will expand further in July to include dual occupancies, and manor and terrace houses.
Residents may need to keep a closer eye on council’s DA tracking register.
“Shoalhaven City Council puts all DAs, on DA tracking on the website and therefore in the public domain,” a council spokeswoman said.
“Irrespective of any changes to consultation provisions we will be continuing to upload all our DAs on tracking.”
The proponent must give neighbours at least two days notice about the construction of a new building, an addition to an existing building or demolition of a building.
At that stage, the development will have council’s approval, and go ahead anyway.
“I deal with these issues all the time,” Shoalhaven Councillor Andrew Guile said.
“The push has been on for some time to expand the scope for complying developments.
“Complying developments have always been a problem, because in many instances they don't respect some of the unique needs of people living on properties nearby.
“For instance, people living on large properties, find all of a sudden, a massive great shed comes in as a complying development.
“There should be a better process in place.”
Cr Guile said council is in a difficult position, as officers must comply with the provisions of the act.
“The legislation should reflect our local expectations,” he said.
“You can not take a cookie-cutter that works for cities and apply it to the Shoalhaven.”
Immediate neighbours must be notified of a development via a letter if it may impact on views or amenity of residents in the neighbourhood, may impact on the character of the neighbourhood and/or raises environmental issues.