Building and Planning Advice

General enquiries

Council provides assistance with general development planning and building enquiries free of charge.

For general development planning enquiries, Council’s Administration and Customer Service team will assist you with your enquiry and/or direct you to helpful online information. For building enquiries, you will be referred to Council’s Duty Building officer. To access this general development planning and building enquiry service please either email Council pehd@ballina.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 6686 1254.

General development planning and building enquiries include:

  • zoning of your property and where to find information about allowable uses 
  • residential development types including dwelling houses, dual occupancies, secondary dwellings, and tiny homes
  • home renovations, including swimming pools, fencing, garages, carports, decks, garden sheds
  • home based businesses
  • rural sheds
  • subdivision of land
  • vegetation removal
  • development applications and certificate applications including construction and occupation certificates, associated documentation and fees and charges
  • exempt or complying development
  • building certification service
  • assistance navigating the NSW Planning Portal
  • using Council’s online mapping tool
  • using Council’s DAs online
  • finding historical DA records for a property

Specific advice

For more detailed information or advice on planning or building controls relating to a specific development proposal or specific to a site/property, you have the following options:

  1. Submit a written enquiry to Council at pehd@ballina.nsw.gov.au 
    Please provide full details to identify your property and the proposed development and explain your enquiry clearly and concisely. Written enquiries can relate to dwelling entitlement and flood planning level enquiries. Council charges a fee for providing this detailed information and advice (refer to Council’s Fees and Charges). Council's formal written response will generally be provided within 30 business days.
  2. Submit an application for a Pre-DA Lodgement meeting with Council staff - refer to Council’s Pre-Lodgement Meeting Factsheet(PDF, 65KB) and Pre-DA Lodgement Meeting Request Form(PDF, 93KB) 
  3. Seek advice from a suitably qualified and competent planning consultant or other suitably qualified professional.

 

Back to top