Questions & Answers

What information should be collected before commencing a planning assessment of residential development?

Before your residential development application can be assessed, you need to provide the required documents. Depending on your project, these may include:

  • your completed application;
  • site and building plans;
  • drawings and specifications;
  • technical reports (if needed); and
  • any other documents listed in the relevant schedule of the Guideline.

The documents you need depend on the type of development you are proposing.

Reference: Planning (Minimum Development Application Documentation) Guideline 2026 (No 1), (NI2026–13) – Planning (Minimum Development Application Documentation) Guideline 2026 (No 1) | PDF

Last reviewed: 6 August 2026 Information current as at: 2 September 2026

Short Answer

Before your residential development application can be assessed, you must provide the minimum documentation required under the Planning (Minimum Development Application Documentation) Guideline 2026 (No 1). The required documents depend on the type of development proposed.

Detailed Explanation

Before a residential development application can be assessed, you must provide the minimum documentation required under the Planning (Minimum Development Application Documentation) Guideline 2026 (No 1). Depending on the type of development, this may include:
  • a completed development application;
  • site plans and architectural plans;
  • supporting plans, drawings, and specifications;
  • technical reports and assessments, where required; and
  • any other information specified in the applicable Schedule to the Guideline.
The required documentation varies according to the nature and complexity of the proposed development. Applications that do not include the minimum required information may not be accepted for assessment.
Key Point

No minimum block size does not remove the need for planning assessment.

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