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Alterations & Additions (Renovations & Extensions) NSW
Give your home a deserved upgrade.
Alterations, additions, and renovations are the bread and butter of residential development across NSW.
Whether you’re extending the back of your home, adding a second storey or simply reconfiguring internal rooms, these works usually require council approval through a Development Application (DA) or, in some cases, a Complying Development Certificate (CDC).
Councils need to ensure changes fit local planning rules - things like setbacks, height, floor space ratio, landscaping and neighbourhood character.
Even minor works can have wider impacts on privacy, overshadowing or streetscape consistency.
You’d typically need approval if you’re planning a significant extension, adding bedrooms or bathrooms, or making structural changes.
Smaller cosmetic works like painting or replacing kitchens are usually exempt.
The viability of approval is generally high if your proposal complies with the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plan (DCP), or if any non-compliances are well justified in a Statement of Environmental Effects.
Councils support renovations that improve housing quality and meet community needs, so long as they’re done thoughtfully and within the rules.
StraightLine Planning can design and prepare your application for Alterations and Additions.
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Four examples where an approval for Alterations and Additions would be needed in NSW:
01
Upstairs Extensions
Adding a second storey to an existing single-storey home
03
Outdoor Entertaining
Building a new deck or covered outdoor entertaining area
02
Footprint Extensions
Extending a living room and creating an open-plan layout
04
Sensitive Heritage Alterations
Renovating a heritage-listed terrace with internal and external changes
Risks & Challenges
Alterations and Additions - approval challenges.
Many homeowners underestimate controls like maximum building height, side setbacks and site coverage, which can trigger redesigns or refusals.
Heritage properties and conservation areas add extra complexity, as any changes must respect the building’s character.
Neighbour objections are another risk. Renovations that affect privacy, overshadowing or views often attract submissions during council notification.
There’s also the challenge of juggling multiple approvals -what seems like a simple extension may need bushfire, flood or BASIX compliance on top of standard planning controls.
Costs and timing can also blow out if further reports are required (acoustic, stormwater or structural engineering).
And if unauthorised works are carried out, you may later need a Building Information Certificate (BIC) to legalise them.
With proper planning, clear documentation, and an experienced town planner, most alteration and renovation applications achieve approval without too much drama.
