top of page

Council Cheat Sheet: How to Create a Property Development Due Diligence Tool That Improves Feasibility

In property development, the quality of your decisions depends on the quality of your information.


Before you purchase a site, engage consultants, prepare concept designs, or undertake a detailed feasibility study, you need to understand one critical factor:


What does the council actually allow you to build?


The challenge is that this information is rarely found in one place.


Planning controls are spread across Local Environmental Plans (LEPs), Development Control Plans (DCPs), State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs), contribution plans, and interactive mapping portals.


For developers assessing multiple opportunities, reviewing these documents from scratch for every site is inefficient, time-consuming, and increases the risk of missing critical information.


This is why experienced developers create council cheat sheets.


A council cheat sheet is a one-page, highly visual summary of a council's planning controls, development standards, approval pathways, and common site constraints. It transforms complex planning documents into a practical reference tool that accelerates due diligence and improves development feasibility.


For property developers, investors, and homeowners looking to develop, it is one of the most effective ways to assess opportunities faster and make more informed decisions.


What Is a Council Cheat Sheet?

A council cheat sheet is a concise summary of the planning controls that apply to a particular Local Government Area (LGA) or development type.


Its purpose is to provide quick answers to the questions that matter most during early due diligence.


Questions such as:

  • What can I build on this site?

  • Is a dual occupancy permitted?

  • Can I develop townhouses in this zone?

  • What are the minimum lot size and frontage requirements?

  • What height and Floor Space Ratio (FSR) controls apply?

  • What approval pathway is available?

  • Are there any overlays or constraints that could affect feasibility?


Rather than searching through hundreds of pages of planning documents, a council cheat sheet allows you to access this information in minutes.


Why Every Property Developer Needs a Council Cheat Sheet


No two councils are the same.


A development that is permissible in one LGA may be prohibited or subject to significantly different controls in another.


For example, the minimum lot size, frontage requirements, and setbacks for a detached dual occupancy can vary considerably between councils.


Without a structured process for understanding these differences, developers risk:

  • Overpaying for a site

  • Miscalculating development yield

  • Underestimating approval risks

  • Overlooking infrastructure contributions

  • Missing hidden site constraints


A well-prepared council cheat sheet helps you:

  • Assess sites more efficiently

  • Improve development feasibility

  • Compare opportunities consistently

  • Reduce due diligence time

  • Identify risks before purchase

  • Improve consultant briefing processes

  • Make faster acquisition decisions


In a competitive market, speed and accuracy can provide a significant advantage.



Step 1: Review the Local Environmental Plan (LEP)


The first step in creating a council cheat sheet is reviewing the relevant Local Environmental Plan.


The LEP establishes the core planning controls that determine what can be built on a site.


Think of the LEP as the rulebook.


It outlines:

  • Zoning classifications

  • Permitted and prohibited land uses

  • Minimum lot sizes

  • Floor Space Ratio (FSR)

  • Height of Buildings (HOB)

  • Heritage provisions

  • Planning maps and overlays


Most LEPs can be accessed through:

  • The NSW Planning Portal

  • Council websites

  • NSW legislation databases


Using the council's interactive mapping portal, identify the site's:

  • Zoning

  • Minimum lot size

  • Height controls

  • FSR

  • Heritage status

  • Applicable overlays


These controls form the foundation of your cheat sheet.


At this stage, you should be able to answer:

  • Is the proposed development permissible?

  • What is the maximum development yield?

  • Are there any obvious restrictions?


Step 2: Analyse the Development Control Plan (DCP)


Once you understand what is permitted under the LEP, the next step is understanding how the development must be designed.


This information is contained within the Development Control Plan.


Think of the DCP as the design manual.


It provides the detailed development standards that influence project feasibility and design outcomes.


Review the sections relevant to your intended development type, such as:

  • Dual occupancies

  • Townhouse developments

  • Residential flat buildings

  • Secondary dwellings

  • Mixed-use developments


Key controls to capture include:

  • Front, side, and rear setbacks

  • Minimum frontage requirements

  • Site coverage limits

  • Landscaped area requirements

  • Private open space requirements

  • Building separation distances

  • Parking requirements

  • Deep soil zones

  • Minimum dwelling sizes


Summarising development-specific controls into a simple matrix allows developers to quickly assess site potential without repeatedly reviewing lengthy documents.


Step 3: Identify Approval Pathways


Approval timeframes can significantly affect holding costs and project profitability.


Your cheat sheet should clearly identify whether a development may proceed through:


Include notes on:

  • Typical approval timeframes

  • Private certification options

  • Common consultant reports required

  • Key approval risks


A project that qualifies for a CDC pathway may save months compared to a traditional DA process.


Step 4: Map Common Overlays and Site Constraints


Planning overlays can dramatically affect project feasibility.


Your council cheat sheet should identify common constraints within the LGA, including:


These overlays often trigger specialist reports, increase construction costs, and affect approval pathways.


Understanding these constraints early improves the quality of your due diligence.


Step 5: Include Development Contributions and Charges


Development contributions can have a significant impact on project margins.


Record:

  • Section 7.11 contributions

  • Section 7.12 levies

  • Affordable housing contributions

  • Water authority charges

  • Utility upgrade requirements


These costs should always be included in preliminary feasibility studies.


Step 6: Create a Development Matrix


This is where your council cheat sheet becomes a powerful feasibility tool.


Create a simple table summarising the requirements for common development types within the LGA.


Include:

  • Permissible zones

  • Minimum lot size

  • Minimum frontage

  • Maximum height

  • FSR

  • Setbacks

  • Approval pathway


For example, your matrix may include:

  • Secondary dwellings

  • Attached dual occupancies

  • Detached dual occupancies

  • Townhouse developments

  • Residential flat buildings


This allows you to compare sites quickly and assess whether they align with your development objectives.



How Council Cheat Sheets Improve Feasibility and Due Diligence


A council cheat sheet does far more than save time.


It strengthens your entire due diligence process by allowing you to:

  • Eliminate unsuitable sites quickly

  • Improve development feasibility accuracy

  • Identify approval risks early

  • Estimate development yield more confidently

  • Reduce consultant costs

  • Compare multiple opportunities consistently

  • Make informed acquisition decisions


For developers, this means greater confidence when negotiating and securing sites.


For investors, it helps identify properties with stronger upside potential.


For homeowners looking to develop, it provides clarity around what may be achievable before significant costs are incurred.


How OwnerDeveloper Can Assist


At OwnerDeveloper, we help developers, investors, and homeowners looking to develop navigate planning controls and early-stage due diligence with confidence.


Our services include:

  • Site due diligence

  • Council and planning reviews

  • Council cheat sheet preparation

  • Highest and best use analysis

  • Development feasibility assessments

  • Concept design management

  • Development strategy and risk management


By combining planning expertise with practical development experience, we help our clients assess opportunities faster, reduce risk, and make more informed decisions.


Our objective is simple:


To help you understand the rules before you commit to the site.



Final Thoughts


Creating a council cheat sheet is one of the most effective ways to improve the speed, consistency, and quality of your property development decisions.


By summarising LEP controls, DCP requirements, approval pathways, and common overlays into a single document, you can assess opportunities more efficiently and strengthen your due diligence process.


Because in property development, the developers who move fastest are rarely the ones who take the biggest risks.


They are the ones who understand the rules better than everyone else.


Collage of property and award photos with people posing; text reads From Planning & Approvals... To Construction & Partnerships...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a council cheat sheet in property development?

A council cheat sheet is a one-page summary of the key planning controls, approval pathways, zoning information, and site constraints that apply within a specific Local Government Area (LGA). It helps developers, investors, and homeowners quickly understand what can be built on a site without having to review lengthy Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) and Development Control Plans (DCPs).


Where can I find the information needed to create a council cheat sheet?

Most of the information required is publicly available and can be sourced from:

  • Council websites and interactive mapping portals

  • Local Environmental Plans (LEPs)

  • Development Control Plans (DCPs)

  • The NSW Planning Portal

  • State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs)

  • NSW Spatial Services maps


Always cross-reference multiple sources to ensure the information is current and accurate.


What is the difference between an LEP and a DCP?

The Local Environmental Plan (LEP) determines what you can build by establishing zoning, permitted uses, minimum lot sizes, Floor Space Ratio (FSR), and building height controls.


The Development Control Plan (DCP) explains how you need to design it, including setbacks, landscaping requirements, private open space, parking provisions, and design guidelines.


Both documents must be reviewed together during the due diligence process.


How does a council cheat sheet improve development feasibility?

A council cheat sheet helps improve feasibility by allowing you to quickly assess development potential, estimate project yield, identify approval pathways, and uncover site constraints before committing significant time or money.


This can help reduce due diligence costs, improve feasibility accuracy, and avoid purchasing sites that are unlikely to meet your development objectives.


How often should council cheat sheets be updated?

Council cheat sheets should be reviewed regularly, particularly following changes to planning legislation, zoning amendments, housing reforms, or updates to council planning controls.


As a general rule, developers should verify their cheat sheets before assessing new sites to ensure they reflect the latest LEPs, DCPs, SEPPs, and contribution plans.


 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page