28 November 2025 release

Development application service

NSW Housing Pattern Book application pathway

In July 2025, the Department announced the introduction of the NSW Housing Pattern Book. The following enhancements to the development application service have been made a result: 

• Additional mandatory question ‘Are you using a NSW Housing Pattern Book mid-rise design (residential flat building or shop-top-housing) for your development?’ on ‘Application details’ screen if applicant selects the one or more of the following development types:
  • Medium Density Housing
  • Dual occupancy
  • Dual occupancy (attached)
  • Manor House
  • Multi-dwelling housing
  • Multi-dwelling housing (terraces)
  • Semi-detached dwelling
  • Non-standard housing
  • Secondary dwelling
• Additional mandatory question ‘What is your unique Pattern Identification Number?’ on ‘Application details’ screen when an applicant indicates they are using a NSW Pattern Book mid-rise design.
• New mandatory document, ‘Design Verification Statement’, on ‘Requirements and uploads’ screen when an application is using a NSW pattern book design.
• When an applicant enters an incorrect or invalid NSW Pattern Identification Number, error message ‘Please enter a valid Pattern Identification Number in the correct format’ is displayed.
• If an applicant enters a pattern book unique reference number that was used for another application, a warning message is displayed: ‘NSW Housing Book Pattern Identification Number used in another application. Using this number could result in your submitted application being declined as per the Terms and Conditions of use. To check or change the number, return to the ‘Development details’ screen.’.
• Council user can edit pattern book related answers provided by applicant using the ‘Edit application details’ functionality.
• When an applicant utilises the ‘Copy to new’ functionality, all Pattern book questions are displayed on ‘Application details' screen of new application.
• When an applicant has progressed past the ‘Application details’ screen but has not yet submitted their application at the time of these changes, the following warning message will display on all screens: ‘A new streamlined DA pathway is now available for applications using a NSW Housing Pattern Book design. To continue your application, please return to the ‘Application details’ screen and answer the question ‘Are you using a NSW Housing Pattern Book mid-rise design for your development?’ 

Additional enhancements

• ‘Upload date’ has been added to the ‘Documents available to be published’ table on the following exhibition screens within the development application service:
  • Arrange exhibition
  • Edit exhibition
  • Exhibition details

Enhancements to functionality in other digital service

The following changes were made to NSW Planning Portal digital services:

• The question ‘Is the development exempt from the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 Chapter 3 relating to non-residential buildings, for any of the following reasons?’ has been moved from the ‘Apply for Certificate’ screen to the ‘Proposed Development’ screen within the construction certificate application form in the Post-consent certificate service.
• Introduction of 'Show' and 'Hide' within the password field on the NSW Planning Portal log in page that allows users to view the password they have entered. Helping to prevent input errors.
• Introduction of email notification to applicant when new principal certifier has been appointed within the principal certifier appointment application in the Post-consent certificate service.

Bugs and fixes

This release included minor fixes to address the following technical issues: 

• Principal certifier organisations that are ‘Inactive’ will not appear when applicant enters principal certifier details on the ‘Select your nominated principal certifier’ screen within post consent certificate services.
• Updated link in call out box on the ‘Before you start’ screen within the controlled activity approval application form.
• ‘Payer details’ in strata bond case submitted from a related Intention to seek occupation certificate (ITSOC) reflected within the ‘Strata Bond Application Form’ generated document.
• ‘Other’ row content added into the ‘Building name’ column of the ‘5.1 Floors’ BASIX table visible when applicant reviews application.
• ‘Building name’ column under ‘Select the dwelling type you want to enter the details for’ question on the ‘Submission’ screen within the BASIX application visible when user reviews application.
• When a traffic certificate is determined within the Moorebank Traffic Certificate service a ‘Traffic Certificate Outcome certificate’ is generated in PDF format.
• Amended question ‘Will the development result in the gross floor area of all building used for warehouse or distribution centres in the Precinct exceeding 820,000m²?’ to ‘Will the development result in the gross floor area of all building used for warehouse or distribution centres in the Precinct exceeding 1,220,000m²?’ on the ‘Determination’ screen within Moorebank Traffic Certificate service.
• Updated help text for question ‘Will the development result in the gross floor area of all building used for warehouse or distribution centres in the Precinct exceeding 1,220,000m²?’ on ‘Determination’ screen within the Moorebank Traffic Certificate service. 

Application Programming Interface (API)     

Minor updates have been made to the Application Programming Interface (API) to support recent enhancements to the development application (Online and State) service. These updates are not urgent and can be included in councils’ and certifiers’ next scheduled API upgrade. 

• New attributes ‘isPatternBookApplication’, ‘patternID’ and ‘isDuplicatePatternID’ added to the ‘CreateDA’ operation in the ‘Online Development Application Service v2 API’
• New attributes ‘isPatternBookApplication’, ‘patternID’ and ‘isDuplicatePatternID’ added to the ‘EditDA’ operation in the ‘Online Development Application Service v2 API’
• New attributes ‘isPatternBookApplication’, ‘patternID’ and ‘isDuplicatePatternID’ added to the ‘UpdateDA’ operation in the ‘Online Development Application Service v2 API’
• New attribute to support new mandatory document ‘Pattern Book Design Verification Statement’ ‘GetCaseInfoSync’ operation within the ‘Online Development Application Service v2 API’
• New attributes ‘isPatternBookApplication’, ‘patternID’ and ‘isDuplicatePatternID’ added to the ‘GetCaseInfoSync’ operation in the ‘Common API v2’
• New attribute to support new mandatory document ‘Pattern Book Design Verification Statement’ ‘GetCaseInfoSync’ operation within the ‘Common API v2’.