Consult neighbors for Reno and Development???

Ask the neighbours first: New DA process for NSW considered by Rob Stokes | smh.com.au

Sounds like more headache for council, developers and ultimately for home occupier.

Seems like minister never applied for DA???

 

I think it is a good move and gives all sides the chance to save time and money by communicating with each other to see if they can work out issues. It could speed up the approval process in a lot of cases with disagreements being resolved early.

I do see an issue with some neighbours being less 'building literate' and potentially taken for a ride by the applicant though.

I applied for a dispensation to build significantly into my setback a while ago and had the opportunity to get my neighbours to write a letter of support. They were supportive, but if they hadn't been, at least we could have talked about it.

 

It's a great idea to just knock on a few doors and introduce yourself, say that you are developing this property and that they will recieved something from council.

When people relate a piece of paper with an actual human being, it reduces the chance they will object to it. Off course if they are really genuinely opposed they are still going to be.

A neighbour of one of our developments opposed it at council for brain dead emotional reasons. Overload sewage, it's going to be ugly (her house was ugly), too many cars in the street (ours had 8 car park spaces for 3 dwellings) more than her own house...

It got through despite.

Once it was built she actually contacted us for advice on development. We ask why she felt the need to oppose ours in council without any valid reason.

Her answer "I don't know"

People get a piece of paper to oppose something and they dump their unresolved emotional life problems onto it - all the spite comes out. If they know there is a person behind it, they are less likely to do so.

 

Does sound like a potential mess, building illiterate developer (eg first timer) matched with neighbours that object to change could end up getting nasty! If a letter comes from council saying this is what's happening people are probably unlikely to pursue it and just wear the changes as it's coming on a letterhead from the almighty council!

But.. Couldn't it potentiality reduce time for approval if it cuts out the consultation period?

Not one easy fit. I did a minor extension and included a letter with my da, but it never got sent to the neighbours any way. But for bigger dev's how many neighbours do you ask and what is sufficient? Many grey areas still.

 

It can be good if neighbour have skills of reading plans.

Personally I think this is just another un wanted hurdle.

Under current planning scheme, All DA get advertised and Plans are posted to affecting neighbours anyway.

CDC development advertising processed can be tweaked so neighbours get notified prior to approval.

 

I usually prepare a submission as a matter of course.

Why? Because you asked.

 

Most ridiculous idea I ever heard of.

Councils just passing the buck again.

 

Terrible idea.

 

I have been involved as an affected neighbour and found that most (larger scale) developer plans get modified to some extent. It is far easier to have early neighbour involvement and leads to faster approval.

One neighbour is a shopping centre that designed a aweful project which many neighbours opposed. Incl me. Council called me asked if I would meet with them and architect and we met and they didnt realise that we didnt care about the size of it...Just the effects of its size. ie noise, parking, access etc. They designed it twice as big with more parking underneath and no external services noise leakage on the much longer building. Council loved it, neighbours too and I consider its a good development now. It was cheaper to build it that way too and made the internals very suitable for more arcade style shops.

All they are proposing is to have neighbour involvement earlier rather than as "conciliation"