Australian Capital Territory · Australian Capital Territory · Preliminary planning report
Preliminary planning report for Australian Capital Territory, ACT
A $199 desktop planning assessment for any address in Australian Capital Territory. We take the parcel from the state cadastre, sweep the zoning and overlay mapping at the parcel, read the Territory Plan 2023 in force and cite it by clause, and set out in writing what was checked and what was not. Prepared and professionally reasoned by a town planner and delivered within one business day.
What governs a site in Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory has no councils. Development is governed by the Territory Plan 2023 and its district policies, and by the purpose clause of the Crown lease that every block is held under, which limits what the land may be used for regardless of the zone.
That lease clause is the part most often missed. A block can sit in a zone that permits a use while its lease does not, so the report reads both.
ACTmapi is the Territory’s mapping service, where the Territory Plan zones and the block and lease information are published.
The instruments the report reads in Australian Capital Territory
- Territory Plan 2023 · zones and the Territory-wide policies
- District policies · the district layer of the Territory Plan
- Crown lease purpose clause · what the block may be used for
Territory planning site: www.planning.act.gov.au
How the report works for a site in Australian Capital Territory
The same five steps for every site in Australia, applied to the Territory Plan 2023 that governs Australian Capital Territory. Nothing is stated that was not checked. stated.
Step 1
Parcel from the state cadastre
We take the parcel from the state cadastre and project it, so the report is about the lot itself and not a point on a street.
Step 2
Zoning and overlays swept at the parcel
The zoning and overlay mapping is swept at the parcel boundary, not at a single point, so a layer that touches one corner of the block is caught.
Step 3
The instrument in force, cited by clause
We read the planning instrument in force and cite it by clause, with its version and date, so every statement in the report can be checked at the source.
Step 4
Nearby applications where a public register exists
Where the council keeps a public register of applications, we read the nearby ones and cite what we found. We do not hold a database of decisions for the council.
Step 5
The provisions, quoted
Every rule the answer depends on is quoted from the instrument in force, with the clause named, so the answer can be checked against the source.
Two reports, one price
Have a plan, or not yet?
The Preliminary Planning Report assesses the project you describe. The What’s Possible report sets out the scenarios the site supports when you have not settled on one. Both are $199 and both follow the five steps.
Get the What’s Possible report for Australian Capital Territory
We do not hold a database of ACT decisions. Where the ACT Government publishes a public register of applications, the report reads the nearby ones and cites what it found. Our free block checker covers South East Queensland only, so it is not offered for Australian Capital Territory.
Taking a Australian Capital Territory project through to lodgement
DA projects are quoted individually. We take a limited number at a time so each gets a director’s attention, and we reply within one business day with availability.
The usual order is the report first, then the conversation. The report gives both of us the site facts before anyone is briefed.
Planning reports in Australian Capital Territory: FAQs
What governs what I can build in Australian Capital Territory?
The Australian Capital Territory has no councils. Development is governed by the Territory Plan 2023 and its district policies, and by the purpose clause of the Crown lease that every block is held under, which limits what the land may be used for regardless of the zone. ACTmapi is the Territory’s mapping service, where the Territory Plan zones and the block and lease information are published.
What does the $199 report check for a site in Australian Capital Territory?
Five things, for every site. The parcel is taken from the state cadastre and projected. The zoning and overlay mapping is swept at the parcel boundary rather than at a point. The planning instrument in force is read and cited by clause, with its version and date. Where a public register of applications exists, nearby applications are read and cited. And the report states in writing anything it did not check.
How long does the report take?
One business day. Each report is prepared and professionally reasoned by a town planner for the specific parcel; it is not generated on the spot.
Do you publish approval rates or decision data for Australian Capital Territory?
No. We do not hold a database of ACT decisions, and this page does not quote approval rates, application counts, timeframes or fees for Australian Capital Territory. Where the ACT Government publishes a public register of applications, the report reads the nearby ones and cites what it found; where it does not, the report says so.
Can I use the free block checker for a Australian Capital Territory address?
No. The free block checker covers South East Queensland only and is not offered for Australian Capital Territory. For a site in Australian Capital Territory the $199 report is the way to get a checked answer.
Can Casa run my development application in Australian Capital Territory?
DA projects are quoted individually. We take a limited number at a time so each gets a director’s attention, and we reply within one business day with availability.
Explore more
- Every council in Australian Capital Territory
- Granny flat rules in the ACT
- Dual occupancy rules in the ACT
- Subdivision rules in the ACT
- Exempt development in the ACT
- Height, setback and site coverage rules in the ACT
- Do I need a DA in the ACT?
- What is in the Preliminary Planning Report
- Planning reports across Australia
- Planning reports in New South Wales
- Planning reports in Victoria
- Planning reports in Western Australia
Know your Australian Capital Territory site before you commit
A $199 report for any address in Australian Capital Territory: the parcel, the zoning and overlays at the parcel, the Territory Plan 2023 cited by clause. Prepared and professionally reasoned by our planning team and delivered within one business day.