Drafting services for Penshurst - is CDC always the better choice for a granny flat development?

So last week we've talked about whether CDC or DA is better for a granny flat development. And it turns out that with Randwick council, it plays a different ball game.

I came across to a lot of potential clients looking to build a granny flat at the back of their properties and always seem to seek CDC over DA. "It's faster" they said, "I hate dealing with the council" are some of the comments we get. Now because everybody is brainwashed with the idea that GRANNY FLAT = CDC, let us unfold the truth here.

Is CDC always the best thing for granny flat, located in Hurstville Council?

No is the recommended answers. Under the current Hurstville Council DCP, the rules of setbacks, building heights and site coverages a very reasonable and flexible for a granny flat development. For instance: 

Rear setback seems to take up a lot of space under the Hurstville DCP regulations:

Whilst with the CDC, the set back is 3m minimum; which means a lot of space is "lost" for landscape.

Also, Hurstville council does not seem to limit the building heighe t of your proposd granny flat, instead it only limits the ceiling height to up to 3.6m which is very unusually high. This give the clients a advantage of having high ceiling design.

On the other hand, SEPP limits the height, and with anything higher than 3.8m building height, the rear setback increase; meaning the lost of more unused space.

Why should I go with CDC not DA/CC?

It is always about comparison, given that the Randwick DCP is much stricter than the SEPP, it is recommended to use CDC.

When should I go with DA/CC instead of CDC?

If you property is located under Randwick council, it is highly recommended to use CDC instead due to a better flexibility compared to the council's regulation.

Are they priced similar?

Yes, CDC and DA/CC charges similar, at the end of the day, there is only very little difference in cost.

Which one takes longer?

DA takes longer than CDC, given that the Randwick DCP is much stricter than the SEPP, it is recommended to use CDC.

*Note, every council is different and that you should always compare the pros and cons of each council against the SEPP in order to choose what works for you best!

*all comments made are pure personal recommendations based on our experience. Each project will need to be further investigate to ensure the correct procedure is to be selected.