Development Services
Legislative Contacts
The Adelaide Hills Council administers development under a number of Acts of Parliament and consults with various agencies. The Development Act 1993, the Planning Strategy for the Outer Metropolitan Adelaide Region, the Adelaide Hills Council Development Plan and the Local Government Act 1999, form the basis of administration. Council is further guided by the Environment Protection Act, the Natural Resources Management Act, the Public & Environmental Health Act, the Native Vegetation Act and the Country Fire Services Act.
For more information about Planning in generalclick here to view the Planning SA website.
If you wish to view a copy of the Adelaide Hills Council's Development Plan then click here but note that this is a 9 mb file. If your computer does not have the capacity to download this file then please come into one of the Council offices to view a hard copy.
Development Plans
Development Plans contain the rules that control what can be done on any piece of land across the State. The Plans are critically important documents for the community, the development sector, and for all spheres of Government. The Plans are the primary policy reference for the assessment of all development applications other than major developments. The approving authority (usually Council, but sometimes the Development Assessment Commission) cannot make any decision that is seriously at variance with the relevant Plan.
Development Plans are amended by the preparation of a Plan Amendment Report (PAR) using the process set out in the Development Act 1993. PARs can be initiated by the relevant Council or the Minister for Transport and Urban Planning.
In 2003, the Adelaide Hills Council completed a Review of its Development Plan in accordance with Section 30 of the Development Act. The Review was prepared following considerable consultation with the community and establishes a program for amending Council's Development Plan. Several PARs were initiated as a result of this review with the Townships & Urban Areas PAR, Local Heritage PAR, Rural Areas PAR and the Stirling District PAR currently being undertaken.
View - Current Development Plan Amendments
Development Consent
Development consent is required for building work, change of land use and land divisions. Consent may also be required for cut and fill, retaining walls, some types of fences, tennis courts, swimming pools and removal of significant trees and/or native vegetation. Development consent is a two-stage process involving firstly, a Development Plan Consent and secondly, a Building Rules Consent (where building work is involved).
Public notification and agency referral is likely to be required for the more significant applications or as prescribed by the Development Regulations.
Provision of clear and complete information is important for the efficient processing of an application. Please refer to Council's Information Sheets and Planning SA Guides for applicants to check the required information and processes.
