Advertised development (NSW)
Advertised development is a NSW DA class requiring 28-day exhibition plus newspaper notice. Sits between standard DAs (14 days) and designated development.
Ask Chalkline about this →Advertised development in NSW is the DA category requiring public notification beyond the standard 14 days, including newspaper advertisement where the council Community Participation Plan (CPP) requires it. The standard exhibition period is 28 days, with mandatory publication in a local newspaper, online notification, letters to adjoining and adjacent owners, and (often) a site sign. Advertised development sits between standard local DAs (14-day exhibition) and designated development (28-day exhibition plus automatic objector appeal rights to the Land and Environment Court). The trigger is SEPP and LEP-specific designation rather than scale or value: certain land uses, zones, or development types are automatically classed as advertised. Verified per EP&A Act 1979 Sch 1 and Reg 2021 (2026-05-23).
The NSW DA notification hierarchy:
| Category | Exhibition | Newspaper | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exempt development | None | None | No DA at all |
| Complying Development (CDC) | None | None | Notification only as council CPP requires |
| Standard local DA | 14 days | No (unless CPP requires) | Online + letters to adjoining |
| Advertised development (this) | 28 days | Yes (where CPP requires) | Online + letters + newspaper + site sign |
| Designated development | 28 days | Yes | + Automatic objector appeal rights to LEC |
| State-significant development (SSD) | 28 days minimum | Yes | + State-level assessment by DPHI |
Triggers for advertised development:
| Trigger source | Examples |
|---|---|
| LEP clause | Specific clauses in council LEPs naming certain development types as advertised |
| SEPP overlay | State Environmental Planning Policies for specific uses (sex services premises, caravan parks, certain industrial uses) |
| DCP nomination | Some councils’ Development Control Plans add advertised triggers |
| Heritage proximity | Adjoining a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area may add notification |
| Sensitive land use | Liquor licensed venues, places of worship, brothels, sex services premises commonly trigger |
| Sensitive zoning | Industrial in residential zone, residential in heritage zone |
Typical residential triggers (rare but real):
- Boarding house near residential zoning.
- Dual occupancy in some R2 zones where the LEP designates.
- Secondary dwelling above certain size in heritage areas.
- Subdivision in some character precincts.
- Use of dwelling for short-term rental accommodation in some councils.
Most standard residential dwellings are not advertised; they go through the 14-day standard notification path.
What’s in the advertisement:
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Newspaper ad | ”Council notification: DA-12345 for [proposed development] at [address]. Submissions accepted [date range]. Plans available at council and online.” |
| Site sign | ”Development Application: [address], [date range], more information at [council URL]“ |
| Letters to adjoining/adjacent | Same info + key plans + submission contact |
| Online publication | Full DA documents + submission portal |
Cost to the applicant: $500-$2,000 for newspaper notification, $200-$500 for site sign, plus increased DA fee for the assessment effort.
Timeline:
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| DA lodgement and intake | 1-2 weeks |
| Start of 28-day exhibition | Day 1 of exhibition |
| Public notification period | 28 days |
| Submissions analysis | 2-6 weeks after exhibition ends |
| Determination | 8-16 weeks from lodgement typical |
| Total | 3-6 months |
(Vs 8-12 weeks for standard 14-day-exhibition DA.)
Common defects:
- Builder doesn’t realise development is “advertised”: timeline understated, client surprised by 3-6 month wait.
- Newspaper ad missed or wrong wording: re-notification required; 2-4 week delay.
- Site sign missing or removed before exhibition ends: re-notification.
- Submissions ignored at assessment: council must consider every substantive submission; failure to address grounds an appeal.
Builder takeaway:
- Check the LEP and CPP for the council early to confirm whether the development class is advertised.
- For advertised development, brief the client on the 3-6 month DA timeline before contract.
- Budget the newspaper and site-sign costs into the DA fee.
- Pre-DA neighbour consultation (where the CPP requires) often reduces formal objections.
Cross-state equivalents:
| State | Equivalent category |
|---|---|
| NSW | Advertised development (this) |
| VIC | Notice of application under PE Act 1987 (notification varies by zone/overlay) |
| QLD | Public notification phase under Planning Act 2016 (varies by assessment type) |
| SA | Performance Assessed with public notification under PDI Act |
| WA | Advertised development under planning scheme |
Also known as: ADP development (less common); SLEP-advertised; notified development (informal); 28-day DA.
Category: Approvals & DA.
Related
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-23. Verified: 2026-05-23. Quarterly review for currency.