Questions & Answers

How detailed do the architectural plans need to be for a DA?

For a DA, the plans should clearly show what you are proposing, its dimensions and levels, and how it sits on the block.

For a typical residential development, this means the plans should provide enough information to assess matters such as the building footprint, setbacks, floor layout, building height, ground and floor levels, external appearance, access and other relevant site conditions.

For example, ACT Planning describes residential assessment floor plans as showing the room names, dimensions, walls being removed or altered and finished floor levels. Elevations show the finished appearance and heights, while sections show matters such as ground, floor and ceiling levels.

The plans therefore need to be more developed than a basic sketch. However, detailed construction information such as structural connections and construction detailing is generally dealt with later as part of the Building Approval documentation, where applicable.

Reference: ACT Planning – Before you apply ? Prepare your documents – https://www.planning.act.gov.au/applications-and-assessments/development-applications/before-you-apply

Last reviewed: 10 September 2026 Information current as at: 12 September 2026

Short Answer

The architectural plans need to be detailed enough for ACT Planning to clearly understand and assess the proposed development against the applicable Territory Plan requirements. They do not generally need to contain the same level of construction detail as Building Approval drawings, but they must provide sufficient information for the planning assessment.

Detailed Explanation

ACT Planning does not prescribe one universal level of architectural detail for every DA. The required documentation varies depending on the type, location and complexity of the development.

Under Before you apply ? Prepare your documents, the DA documentation must:

  1. address each relevant provision of the Territory Plan, including mandatory requirements;
  2. include details of relevant conditions from previous approvals; and
  3. demonstrate how the proposed development works with surrounding blocks and development. 

The plans must therefore contain enough information to demonstrate those matters. ACT Planning's Development Application Naming Conventions provides more specific examples:

  • Floor Plans – Assessment: proposed room layout, room names, dimensions, altered or removed walls and finished floor levels.

  • Elevation Plans: finished appearance of the building and heights in relation to Australian Height Datum.

  • Section Plans: cross-sections showing relevant ground, floor and ceiling levels and, where applicable, building envelopes.

  • Site Plan: a summary of the proposed works at ground level across the site.

  • Roof Plan: roof configuration, including pitch or fall.

ACT Planning also undertakes a completeness check before assessment to determine whether sufficient information has been provided for the full assessment. If the information is insufficient, further documentation may need to be provided.

Example: A dual occupancy DA should not simply show two building footprints. The architectural package should provide sufficient plans, dimensions, elevations and levels to allow the proposal's relevant matters—such as setbacks, height, building separation and relationship with the site—to be assessed.

Key Point

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

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