Amendments to DAs

Hey All,

I'm after advise on two fronts. I have a property with an approved top floor addition DA that is 1.5m under the approval envelope for the local council (Northern Beaches).

We have redesigned and bought the roof up a total of 500mm so still 1 meter below the limits. We have complied with every other requirement the council has put into place in the original DA and the council has verbally stated that the lift will not change the effect on their view of the neighbor.

The council is now slowing it down because the neighbor complained about views and apparently the council did not address her concerns before the first DA (2 years ago).

1. Is there anything I can do legally to force the council to hurry up?
2. The neighbors have a high hedge (5 meters) on their back fence that is shading our back yard and causing damage by removing our yards ability to dry out. Is this grounds to get them to cut the hedge down?

Does anyone have any ideas on good ways to legally make the neighbor regret it? It's blowing our investment opportunity and slowing down the ability to build and therefore take advantage of the bigger floor space.