Qs & As on Council DAs

The move comes after several residents have expressed frustration about the lack of information on the process behind DAs.

Recently, Erskineville resident Mark McPherson became concerned about a DA that was attached to his neighbour’s house, which involved removing an existing single-storey house and replacing it with three three-storey houses.

Mr McPherson and his partner wrote a detailed objection to the DA but were surprised to find that all they received in reply was a simple letter saying, “Thanks for your submission but the proposed development has been approved.”

“It seems that a Planning Officer is placed in charge of the assessment and gets input from the Council Heritage Specialist,” Mr McPherson told the Herald. “The Heritage Specialist looks at whether the proposed development is in keeping with the other dwellings in the street, and then the Planning Officer makes the final decision.”

Mr McPherson says the decision had already been made about the development near him, even before all the submissions had come in.

Andrew Woodhouse, of the Potts Point and Kings Cross Conservation Society, welcomes any attempt to help clarify the process.

“DAs affect property values and take up huge slabs of residents’ time, often time they don’t have, with many residents working full-time as well. To lodge objections and appear at Council meetings on short notice and then in the NSW Land and Environment Court puts residents at an unfair disadvantage.”

Mr Woodhouse says groups like his have often had to inform residents about how the DA process works. “This has put an enormous strain on our slender resources,” he said.

Cr Black said at the May meeting where he proposed the brochure that people may only object once or twice in their life, but they need more comprehensive information if that time comes.

Source: South Sydney Herald July 2007 http://www.southsydneyherald.com.au/