Assessment for City of Newcastle Council of a DA to convert & make additions to a locally iconic former civic administration building for use as a 5 star hotel. An assessment challenge was ensuring a proposed non-compliant height addition would not result in the building visually challenging the local prominence of the heritage-listed City Hall clock tower adjacent. Amendments were required to facilitate this desired outcome.

DA assessment for City of Newcastle Council. Although a compliant development, existing local parking / traffic and pedestrian congestion issues during am/pm school drop off / pick up times caused significant local concern. An assessment process outcome was introducing a new through-site pedestrian thoroughfare to allow quicker access to/from the nearby school from surrounding streets. For the developer, this was a beneficial use of an unbuildable drainage easement that helped address community concerns.

Creedence Planning was engaged to put together and gain DA approval for a  Co-Living Housing development using manufactured homes - a new approach to the housing crisis that delivered exactly what Singleton Council's own Housing Strategy had identified they needed most - to cater for itinerant workers. Installing manufactured homes on a site requires approval under two different sets of legislation and requires more detail in the DA as there is no construction certificate process. Other issues to resolve included accessibility and fitting modular components on a small corner block in an attractive and workable design. A rewarding, out of the box challenge. Mission accomplished!

What do you do when you are stuck with a secondary dwelling you can't subdivide? Lodge a DA for change of use to a dual occupancy. Creedence Planning undertook the initial feasibility analysis as such change of use DA's aren''t always possible. We also prepared the SEE and countered Mid-Western Regional Council's normal requirement that one car park be roofed for each dwelling on the basis of streetscape and heritage impacts, so no new work was necessary to effect the subdivision. 

Creedence Planning prepared, lodged and project managed this DA for an interenationally recognised vehicle hire company to commence use at this location in Mayfield West. Whilst Council engineers raised initial concern about how vehicles could be loaded/unloaded in an existing contrained site area that could not be expanded, eventually a solution was negotiated and approval from Newcastle Council was gained in 91 days.

Anyone for beef jerky? Creedence Planning helped out some enterprising young lads expand their business by preparing the Statement of Environmental Effects and managing the DA to convert their backyard garage into a beef jerky production power house. An unusual DA but the information we submitted was such that Lake Macquarie didn't raise any planning issues and issued consent in 38 assessment days. As with all the DA photos in this Completed Projects page, this shot is a "before" shot of the shed, not an "after."

Creedence Planning prepared and project-managed this tricky little Mod application for our client to secure approval in 62 days from City of Newcastle Council. Issues to resolve included existing use rights, encroaching an easement for light and air and heritage impact.

Creedence Planning provided design advice, prepared the SEE and project managed this DA to convert an older commercial building on a narrow block to a medical centre. An existing non-compliant car-park needed an out-of the-box design solution by Creedence Planning to make parking workable and acceptable to Council. Approval was issued by Newcastle Council in 59 days.

Creedence Planning prepared the SEE and project managed this DA to enlarge the existing dwelling house. Issues that needed to be addressed included building in a high flood hazard area and extending forward of the establisehed front building line. Following appropriate representations by Creedence Planning, the clients' desired proposal was approved by Port Stephens Council in 33 days.

Creedence Planning prepared and project managed this DA for a new use in a commercial space that did not have any allocated on-site car parking.. Special DA submission requirements included a social impact statement which Creedence Planning had sufficient in-house experience to address within the Statement of Environmental Effects. A busy lake Macquarie Council issued approval following minimal assessment issues.

Creedence Planning prepared and project-managed the DA for the construction of an attached dual occupancy on a newly subdivided site in a land release area. Land release areas can be tricky as there are often pedantic controls governing a multitude of minor aspects of the development. A challenge to comply on a sloping, wedge-shaped block but Council eventually saw the sense in being pragmatic and appreciating the worth of the development with an approval.

Creedence Planning prepared and lodged this DA for a boundary realignment between 2 contiguous properties to essentially transfer land containing a watercourse from one to the other. Semmingly inocuous but a 65% variation to the minimum lot size development standard meant we also needed to prepare a Variation Request and it had to go to a full Council meeting. Got there in the end with no major objections from the Council planner.