There are many different types of decisions and conditions that can be made for a development application.

Assessment

When assessing and deciding on a development application, we look at matters such as:

• consistency with the Territory Plan;
• the merits of the proposed use of the land;
• impacts on the site and on surrounds;
• parking and access;
• design and siting (setbacks, overshadowing);
• environmental and heritage issues;
• compliance with the existing lease;
• potential for unit titling;
• any other on-site or off-site impacts, for example, employment and transport, or on social services and facilities; and
• comments or objections received from the public.

Timeframes

If your application is exempt from public notification, we are required to give you a decision within 30 working days from the date you lodged your application.

If your application requires notification and objections are received, we are required to give you a decision within 45 working days.

If, during the assessment, extra information is required, we will notify you in writing.  If we request the additional information within 15 business days of the application being lodged, the prescribed period for determining your application (30 or 45 days) will be extended by the number of days it takes for you to submit the requested information.

Decisions

A decision will be made once all issues have been identified and assessed. The development application will be:

• approved as submitted;
• approved with conditions; or
• refused.

When we have finalised the decision, you will receive an automated email with a link to download the notice of decision, together with any associated plans. If the plans are approved, they will be electronically stamped. Once development approval has been given, you will need to comply with the conditions of approval and will need to get building approval to begin building, unless exempt.

Review of decisions

There are two options for the applicant to seek review of a decision made by the Authority: reconsideration or lodging an appeal with the ACT Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Some third parties also have the right to appeal a decision.