Development applications and assessments

Launched in March 2021, PlanSA is South Australia's exclusively online planning and development system. Accessible 24 hours a day, PlanSA enables South Australians to:

• lodge development applications;
• keep track of development applications,
• receive decision notifications instantly,
• easy access to reliable and up-to-date planning information, publications, maps and data;
• staying informed on the latest planning news and updates;
• easy access to online planning policy and spatial map information;
• as well as access to the Planning and Design Code amendments and what it may mean for you.

Implemented over three individual phases between 2019 - 2021, the Planning & Design Code (the Code) is South Australia's primary statutory instrument under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (the Act) for the purposes of proposed development assessment and related matters.

Replacing all 72 Development Plans within the state, the Code is utilized for:

1. determining the rules that apply to the nominated land;
2. finding out the relevant assessment pathway that applies to what an applicant may wish to do; and
3. making a comment on a re-zoning proposal for a particular site/land.

If you're planning a development, you may need to apply for approval before commencing. Find out if your proposal requires lodging a Development Application, through PlanSA's Approval Wizard.

All development applications are lodged and managed through PlanSA’s Development Application Processing (DAP) system. To access DAP, you’ll need to register for an online account.

Find out more about DAP and what this streamlined system is used for.

It must be noted that all development applications incur fees. These fees amount to what the application is proposing.

The assessment of an application does not begin until all fees are paid.

To understand the costs of a proposed development, view application fees on PlanSA. 

It is important to keep in mind that the lodgement of a development application, does not automatically grant development approval.

Once all necessary fees have been paid, development applications undergo a 5 business day verification period, followed by a 20 business day period for assessment by the assigned assessment officer. This amounts to a total of 25 business days.

However, mandated agency referrals such as the CFS (Country Fire Services), EPA (Environmental Protection Authority), and/or NVC (Native Vegetation Council) add an additional 20-30 business days.

Furthermore, development applications that require to proceed with Public Notification add an additional 30 business days.

Please note that there are no special circumstances or procedures in which applications can or will be expedited.

Understand more about how development applications are assessed on PlanSA.

Depending on the proposed development, majority of applications consist of 3 stages of assessment:

• Planning Consent
• Building Consent
• Development Approval Consent

These several types of consent are mandated by the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

Understand more about the different consent stages on PlanSA.

A land management agreement (LMA) is defined as a set of rules that relate to the development, management, preservation and conservation of land within South Australia. Under the Planning, development & infrastructure Act 2016 (the Act), an LMA comes into force once it is noted on the Certificate of Title for the subject land.

It is enforceable under the Act on the current owner of the land, regardless of if the LMA was established by the same owner.

Learn more about land management agreements on PlanSA.

You are more than welcome to lodge a development application so it may be assessed against the relevant criteria per the property’s address.

This is a possible option, assuming per the Planning & Design Code, the proposed battle-axe allotment, 'appropriately responds to the existing neighbourhood context' amongst several other requirements.

Under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) Regulations 2017, a development application may require referral(s) if the subject premises is located within a particular zone or overlay.

For example, a proposed new dwelling located within the Hazards (Bushfire - High Risk) Overlay will require a referral to the CFS.

Yes, depending on whom the referral(s) are directed to, it will add a further 20 or 30 business days to the assessment clock. Note that the additional amount of business days cannot be expedited.

The City of Onkaparinga is the largest LGA (local government association) within South Australia; both in population and land area. As such, it encompasses a highly diverse range of zones and overlays not commonplace in other LGA's. Referrals are carried out per the direction of the Planning & Design Code, with some requiring more than one.

There is no set limit for how many overlays apply to a particular site. The Planning & Design Code instructs what overlays require a referral. To view what overlays apply to a particular site, use SAPPA (South Australian Property & Planning Atlas) by searching an address or location.

Even if only partially within an overlay, it is still included and if required, is to undergo the same referral(s) process specified by the Code.

The SAPPA (SA Property and Planning Atlas) tool is free and available for everyone to use. Simply type in your property of interest and view the relevant zone(s) and overlays.