Duty Planner
A Duty Planner is available for telephone enquiries between 8.30am-12.30pm and 2pm-4.30pm Monday to Friday to provide general town planning advice.
To access the Duty Planner service you will need to book an appointment through our on-line booking system. All appointments are for a maximum of 10 minutes and you will need to answer some standard questions in order for us to ensure that your enquiry is efficiently directed.
The Duty Planner's main function is to direct customers to relevant planning policies. The Duty Planner cannot provide zoning advice, pre-purchase enquiries, review your plans or advise you of the approval process for exempt or complying development.
For enquiries related to conditions relating to a Development Application, please contact the assessing officer at devmail@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
The Duty Planner is unable to go through all of Council's controls in detail or provide a detailed assessment of any development proposal you may be considering. If this is required, you may need to engage your own planning consultant or book a Pre-lodgement meeting.
It is recommended that you book a Pre-lodgement meeting for any large or more complex proposals prior to submitting your application to Council.
Prior to contacting the Duty Planner you should review Council’s Frequently Asked Questions and Hornsby Development Control Plan.
Pre-DA consultation service during Christmas and New Year
In line with previous years to ensure we continue to offer a quality service, no applications for Pre-DA consultations will be accepted between 11 December 2023 and 31 January 2024 due to staff leave and business closures over the holiday season. The Pre-DA service will resume from 1 February 2024.
Pre-lodgement meeting
A pre-lodgement meeting gives you feedback from Council on the technical and merit aspects of a development proposal. Staff will look at your plans and documents, then give you advice on the best way forward.
These meetings are encouraged by Council because:
- it's the best way to deal with complex or site-specific issues
- it's an opportunity for Council to advise the applicant of strategic objectives for the development of the area
- it allows for any potential issues to be dealt with prior to the formal lodgement of a DA
- it helps the applicant resolve any issues prior to lodging an application
- it may assist in reducing the assessment time of the DA.
Where possible Council officers will suggest alternative and acceptable solutions for the applicant to consider.
A pre-lodgement meeting is for discussion and clarification purposes only and may not identify all possible issues. It is not intended to pre-empt a final decision in relation to a development application.
Additional pre-lodgement meetings may be required at a later time, if considered necessary. This usually occurs with large, complex proposals and allows additional or revised information and documentation to be reviewed prior to submission of the DA.
There is a fee of $392.00 for a pre-lodgement meeting and administration fee.
Submit a Pre-Lodgement Meeting Request
Please note: Pre-lodgement meetings will be conducted by teleconference.
Due to unforeseen staff shortages, Pre-Lodgement meetings can take up to 4-8 weeks before a meeting can take place. For smaller scale developments (e.g. dwellings and alterations and additions) it is encouraged to discuss your application with the duty town planner or seek your own professional advice.
Written Advice
If you require more detailed planning information you can write to Council and request a response in writing. Council will give you detailed information in respect to issues such as Exempt and Complying development, dwelling entitlement, historic or current development application information, etc.
The request must be clear and to the point. Within 21 days of receiving your request, the information will be researched and a letter of reply mailed to your address. There is a fee of $196.00.
Submit a Written Advice Request
Please note that Council cannot guarantee that the requested information is available. If your search is unsuccessful the application fee is non-refundable.
Frequently Asked Questions and Online Resources
For further information, please visit our FAQ and Resources page.