How to tell if you can do what you want on your site

Create an account with Dial Before You Dig and inquire about the specific site. Submit the address and wait for the different authorities to respond (30 minutes to 1 day). Download the PDF of all services. Check where the sewer line is, where stormwater runs, and whether you will need a stormwater easement over another site. If the sewer crosses the middle of the block, read what to do about a sewer main running through your site before you go further.

Use the Land Valuers website to obtain the accurate site area and dimensions, following how to find land value and site area. This will help you determine if the site is large enough for your intended development.

Visit Sixmaps for a scaled map and check the contour data. Look for a site that slopes downward toward the street. This helps you avoid purchasing stormwater easements from neighbouring properties. Use the advanced search option for more accurate results because the basic search often misinterprets street names. The contours also tell you whether the site is too steep to build on economically.

Measure it first, following how to find land width. Whether 15 metres of width matters depends entirely on which pathway you use, and this trips people up constantly. On the DA pathway, Central Coast LEP clause 4.1B sets the test as lot size only: at least 550m² for an attached dual occupancy and 700m² for a detached one, in the R1, R2 and R3 zones. The LEP has no lot width standard at all. On the complying development pathway it is different: the Codes SEPP Low Rise Housing Diversity Code (clause 3B.8) sets a minimum width of 15 metres, or 12 metres where the car parking is reached only from a rear lane or secondary road, and a minimum area that defaults up to the LEP figure (so 550m² or 700m² here). So 15 metres is real, it is just a CDC number, not a DA one. A third pathway, the low and mid rise reforms, allows a 450m² lot at 12 metres wide as a standard council cannot refuse, but only inside the Housing SEPP town centre areas (Wyong, Tuggerah, The Entrance, Erina, Green Point, Gosford and Woy Woy). Apartments are a separate problem again: building separation grows with height, so most standard lots are too narrow and you normally need two side by side.

Check if the site is prone to flooding or bushfire, or whether it is heritage listed. Review local zoning, acid sulphate soils, minimum lot size, and the maximum height and Floor Space Ratio restrictions.

Search for previous development applications on the site using the council's Development Application Tracker. This provides insight into past owners' intentions and the success or failure of their development plans. Also check nearby properties with similar developments to see what consultants and reports council will require. It is also worth getting the deposited plan and any covenants that apply before you commit to a design.

Review the Complying Development SEPP (CDC): Housing Code Part 3 for houses, Low Rise Housing Code Part 3B for duplexes and townhouses. Confirm the development complies with zoning, setbacks and height restrictions. For a quick first pass on a house lot, the buildable envelope tool draws the setbacks for any Central Coast address.

Check the LEP and the DCP for additional regulations including maximum Gross Floor Area (GFA), landscaping and outdoor area requirements.

For apartment developments, assess solar access, natural ventilation, and other requirements outlined in the Apartment Design Guide.

Use a tool like OntheHouse to look up the sales history of the site. This gives you a sense of the site's market value and any fluctuations over time. If you are buying to rent it out, also check rental percentages and vacancy rates for the suburb.

Once you've narrowed down the potential sites, hire a local architect and town planner to conduct a more thorough feasibility study. Local experts will have intimate knowledge of the area, zoning laws and council requirements. Here is a list of local consultants we work with.