Biodiversity Values

BV Map Review Factsheet 2024.pdf

Guidance for Councils - Understanding the role of the BV Map 2024.pdf

The Biodiversity Values Map and what it means for your Development Application Factsheet 2024.pdf

What is the Biodiversity Values Map Factsheet 2024.pdf

Property File Access

Property owners and potential purchasers can request to access a property file by completing the Informal Request to View Property File application form and paying the file access fee. If the applicant is not the owner of the property, the consent of all the owners must be obtained on the application form.

The information contained within each property file varies and there is no guarantee the information required is contained within the file. A property file might include:

• Development Application/consent
• Statement of Environmental Effects
• Construction certificate
• Occupation certificate
• Drainage plans

It can take up to two working days from receipt of the application for the requested plans and documents to be supplied. You can nominate to have the document emailed or be called to collect from the Customer Service Centre.

Customers who would like to discuss the contents on receipt of the requested documents can make an appointment to speak with a Duty Planner (available between 9.00am and 1.30pm), by phoning our Customer Service Team on (02) 6740 2100.

FAQ Sheets

Council has prepared the following fact sheets to provide information in regard to the development application process.

If you would like to make use of footpath as part of building works, for outdoor seating or signage, you will need a permit from Council. Please review Council’s Footpath Occupation Policy and download the Street Trading Application Forms.

Development Application Lodgement

To lodge a Development Application (DA) with Council, a development application form is to be completed and submitted with supporting documentation. This documentation enables Council to adequately consider the proposed development.

Application forms may be obtained below or via email, post or collected from the Council Administration Building at 63 Elgin Street.
A minimum of three (3) paper copies of all the required documentation must be prepared to accompany a Development Application and/or Construction Certificate.
The fee payable for the development application is calculated on the value of the work proposed and/or the type of development proposed.

At time of lodgement the Development Application must be submitted to and accepted by a Duty Planner.

It is recommended that you make an appointment with Council's Duty Planner (available between 9.00am and 1.30pm) when you are ready to lodge the application. The Duty Planner will review the application to determine if the required information is provided and accept the application. You can make an appointment by phoning our Customer Service Team on 02 6740 2100.

Development applications lodged and received by Council can be tracked through Council's Online Application Tracking Service.

When preparing a development application, it is recommended that you review Council's Gunnedah Local Environment Plan 2012 (LEP) and the accompanying Gunnedah Local Environmental Plan 2012 - Land Use Matrix as well as Council’s Development Control Plan (DCP). These plans provide detailed planning and guidance for new development and provide the basis for development assessment.

Council's Engineering Guidelines for Subdivisions and Developments should also be reviewed during the preparation of an application.

Duty Planner Service

Council provides a free Duty Planner Service to assist with enquiries over the phone or in person relating to town planning matters. To assist with your enquiry when requesting to speak with a Duty Planner you will be asked by our Customer Service staff for address of property, development type and enquiry details.

Council Duty Planners also offer free pre-development application lodgement consultations to assist prospective applicants to familiarise themselves with the planning process. Formal plans or documents are not required for these sessions.

Appointments can be scheduled to speak with a Duty Planner for general planning enquiries, pre-lodgement discussion and development application lodgement between the hours of 9am to 1:30pm. It is recommended you make an appointment with the Duty Planner so that sufficient time can be allocated for your enquiry. You can make an appointment by phoning our Customer Service Team on 02 6740 2100.

Before you undertake any development or building works, you will need to determine what approvals are required.
Certain types of low-impact development may be carried out as Exempt or Complying Development. All other development will require a Development Application (DA) to be submitted to Council.

Exempt development – is of a minor nature and may be carried out without development approval. For this type of development to be carried out without approval, all of the criteria and requirements specified in the relevant planning instrument must be met, including compliance with the Building Code of Australia. If any of the criteria cannot be fully met, a complying certificate or development approval must be obtained before carrying out the work or development.

Complying Development – relates to specified small-scale, low-impact development, which complies with pre-set criteria detailed in a State Policy or Local Environmental Plan. This type of development can be determined by either council or private accredited certifier.

To find out whether your proposal is eligible to be exempt or complying development, please refer to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008.

Development Application – most building works require a Development Application to be lodged with Council unless it is an Exempt or Complying Development. A Development Application (DA) is a request that you can make to Council to carry out various types of development such as (but not limited to):

• Erecting, altering or adding to a building
• Subdividing land
• Strata subdividing a building
• Changing the use of a building
• Demolition
• Erecting or installing a swimming pool
• Other building works

Before commencing any works please consult with Council's Planning staff, to ensure that all of the requirements and criteria will be satisfied. Please call our Customer Service Team on 02 6740 2100 for more information.

The native vegetation legislation introduced in 2005 represented an historic change to the way we manage native vegetation across NSW. The Native Vegetation Act 2003 and Native Vegetation Regulation 2005 aim:

• to manage native vegetation on a regional basis in the social, economic and environmental interests of the state
• to protect native vegetation of high conservation value having regard to its contribution to water quality, biodiversity or the prevention of salinity and land degradation
• to prevent broadscale clearing

The Local Land Services (LLS) are responsible for making the decisions about how to best manage native vegetation in NSW.

The new system is based on:

• Property Vegetation Plans
• Voluntary agreements between landholders and LLS

Please contact the Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 for further information in regard to native vegetation legislation.

To view the Community Groups within the Gunnedah Shire, please search our Gunnedah Community Directory. The following churches are located in Gunnedah and the surrounding district:

Gunnedah Hospital

Gunnedah Shire has a modern hospital with 48 beds. The hospital provides a high standard of general medical and surgical services including a day surgery care facility. The Obstetric Unit services approximately 150 deliveries per year. Further specialist care is available in Tamworth.

A busy Emergency Department services the community through on call Visiting Medical Officers. The Health Service has a broad range of community health services including child and family health, Aboriginal health, chronic and aged services; Physiotherapy, X-Ray facilities and a Public Health Dental Clinic, which are also located on the campus. Gunnedah Hospital has a helipad and can access the Westpac Helicopter Service and Child Flight services to Newcastle.

Other health facilities in Gunnedah are NSW Ambulance and a pathology service. The Air Ambulance and Child Flight Neonatal Helicopter serve the community on request.

In 2019 the NSW Government announced it would provide funding of $53 million for a new Gunnedah Hospital, to be completed in the coming years.

For a full list of local health services, visit the National Health Services Directory.

Gunnedah has a number of pre-schools and long day care centres, five primary schools and four secondary schools, as well as a smaller high-quality school for children wtih special needs. Students are provided with quality educational programs delivered by highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The villages of Curlewis, Tambar Springs, Carroll, Mullaley and Walhallow also have public primary schools.

The New England Institute of TAFE - Gunnedah Campus offers a wide range of Government accredited and locally designed courses at a tertiary education level.

Browse through each school's website which highlights policies, initiatives, programs, student achievements and up and coming events.

For School Zoning and School Holidays, please follow the links. Please note that all information is subject to change and you may need to ring the school direct for further information.
Contact details are as follows:

HIGHER EDUCATION

HIGH SCHOOLS

 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

VILLAGE SCHOOLS

 PRE-SCHOOLS AND DAY CARE SERVICES

SCHOOL CATCHMENTS

If you're looking for a NSW public school close to your home, you can use the online School Finder tool to search by:

• level of schooling (infant, primary or secondary)
• enrolment area
• individual school

Council is responsible for trees located on Council-owned land and footpaths. It is not Council's responsibility to maintain trees on residential and private land. If you see a tree that requires attention on either a footpath, or Council-owned land please let us know by either completing the Street Tree Removal form or calling 02 6740 2100. All trees reported to us will be recorded, inspected and rated in accordance with the level of priority and risk they pose to public safety.

All planting of trees on Council land, including footpaths, requires authority by Council. Please contact us before proceeding with any planting in these areas as all requests and new planting must be considered in light of proximity to utilities and existing infrastructure. We will happily provide information regarding, trees, species and planting location. Furthermore, no alterations are to be made to footpaths without Council's permission and no trees are to be planted within 20 metres of an intersection, so not to restrict vehicular access and visibility.

Please contact our Customer Service Team on 02 6740 2100 for further information.