Development Applications
PlanSA - a new planning system for rural South Australia
Effective 31 July 2020, a new planning system - PlanSA - applies across South Australia’s outback and rural areas* that will help shape your community, both now and into the future. PlanSA includes the new Planning and Design Code and associated ePlanning platform for South Australia, replacing hard copy council development plans and the manual processing of development applications. If you are looking to build or renovate your home, subdivide your land, add a shed or carport to your property, you can now submit and track your application online at www.plan.sa.gov.au
You will experience a simpler online planning system with everything in one place.
What needs Approval
To see if you need planning or building approval, please visit the “wizard”.
What do I need to lodge?
Forms
All development applications should be lodged using the following forms completed and signed:
- Development Application Form
- Electricity Infrastructure Declaration
- Native Vegetation Declaration (if applicable)
If you are lodging through the PlanSA lodgement system, these forms are built-in to the process and you do not need to download and complete these forms elsewhere.
If you are lodging by email, post or in person, you will need to download and print these forms from PlanSA and complete them as an attachment to your application.
All forms are available from https://plan.sa.gov.au/resources/forms.
Plans and documentation
Most development applications require a baseline of plans and documentation to be provided, including:
- Short development description
- Site plan
- Floor plan
- Elevations
- Colour sample schedule
Depending on what you are proposing, additional documentation may be required.
Refer to the Development application checklist to see what documentation you may need to prepare and complete as part of your lodgement.
Construction Industry Training Board Levy
The Construction Industry Training Board Levy also needs to be paid on any construction with an estimated cost of $40,000 or more. This can be completed online on the Construction Industry Training Board Levy.
Clearing native vegetation
The Native Vegetation Council in their role as administrators of the Native Vegetation Act 1991, have produced a suite of fact sheets to assist local councils, landholders, farmers, planners and consultants. Refer to the Government of South Australia's Department for Environment and Water's Clearing Native Vegetation site for further information.
Fees! No fees are required at lodgement
A key change in the new planning system is that fees are not required at lodgement.
Payable fees are determined and invoiced by the Relevant Authority* within 5 business days after an application has been lodged. This is part of the new “verification” process.
Once you receive your invoice and pay all fees, your application formally enters the development assessment process. Fees and Charges
*Relevant Authority - The organisation or individual who will be responsible for assessing the development application. This could be the assessment manager from council, an independent accredited professional, State Planning Commission or relevant panel.
Ways to lodge your application
There are several ways you can lodge an application in the new planning system:
Via PlanSA’s online lodgement system
The new planning system facilitates online lodgement for development applications.
By submitting a digital form, applications can be lodged into the PlanSA system in just ten minutes. For applications lodged online, there is no need to print and complete any forms as these are built into the system.
To use the PlanSA lodgement system, you will need to first register for an online account:
If you already have an account, you can lodge your development application online:
You may wish to engage an independent accredited professional to lodge an application on your behalf or seek assistance from your local council.
By email
Development applications can be emailed to the Relevant Authority. If you are lodging by email, make sure you attach a copy of all completed and signed statutory forms.
In person or by post
You are still able to lodge your development application in hard copy either by post or by physically delivering it to the office of the Relevant Authority.
The Relevant Authority is entitled to charge an additional $80 processing fee for applications lodged in hard copy, to scan and upload the application into the system on your behalf.
If you are lodging in hard copy, make sure you include a copy of all completed and signed statutory forms.
Need more help?
To find out more visit www.plan.sa.gov.au, email DPTI.PlanSA@sa.gov.au or call the PlanSA Service Desk on 1800 752 664.
Act / Code
Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act
Register of Development Applications
A full list of development applications by year is accessible here.