Main page › Guides › Neighbour notification
Neighbour notification and objections by state
| NSW dwelling house up to two storeys | Excluded from exhibition if no height or FSR variation[2] |
|---|---|
| NSW complying development | Certifier notifies neighbours within 20 m; no objection rights[3] |
| Victoria | 14-day notice period under s 52[4] |
| Queensland impact assessment | 15 business days for most applications[5] |
| South Australia notified performance assessment | 15 business days; letters within 60 m[6] |
| Tasmania discretionary | At least 14 days[7] |
| ACT minor DA | 15 working days[8] |
Whether your neighbours are told about a new home, and whether they can object, depends on the pathway rather than the construction method. A modular home assessed as a standard single dwelling is treated the same as a site-built one. Since 1 September 2026 most two-storey-or-less dwelling houses and secondary dwellings in NSW are not exhibited at all, provided they comply with height and floor space ratio controls.[1][2]
Why it matters for a factory-built home §
Notification adds time to the assessment, and objections can lead to changed conditions or a refusal. Both affect when modules can be built. A fast-track pathway usually avoids notification altogether, which is one reason the pathway question should be settled before a manufacturing slot is booked. Timeframes for notified and non-notified applications are compared in approval timeframes by state.
New South Wales §
Development applications. The Statewide Community Participation Plan now sets notification rules across NSW.[1] Dwelling houses and dual occupancies up to two storeys, secondary dwellings and several other residential types are excluded from exhibition where no variation to the height of buildings or floor space ratio controls is needed. Local development that is exhibited has a minimum period of 14 days.[2] News reporting states that councils can no longer notify neighbours or accept submissions on excluded applications, although those applications are still assessed against controls such as privacy and overshadowing.[9]
Complying development. A registered certifier notifies neighbours within 20 metres of the site while the application is processed, but neighbours have no right to object to a complying development proposal.[3]
Victoria §
Under section 52 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, owners and occupiers of adjoining land must be given notice unless the council is satisfied no one would suffer material detriment, or the planning scheme exempts the application. Notice can be by letter, a sign on the land or a newspaper notice. The council cannot decide until 14 days after the last notice, and objections are to be lodged within that period — though any objection received before the decision must be considered.[4] An objector can ask VCAT to review a decision to grant a permit within 28 days of the notice of decision.[10]
Queensland §
Code-assessable development, which covers many dwellings, generally is not publicly notified and the public has no formal submission or appeal rights. Impact-assessable development is notified, and anyone can make a submission.[11] The notification period for most impact-assessable applications is 15 business days.[5] A submitter may appeal to the Planning and Environment Court within 20 business days of the decision notice.[11]
Western Australia §
Notification is largely set by each local government's planning policy. As one example, the Shire of Northam gives 14 days for owners affected by a variation to a standard requirement and 21 days at higher advertising levels. Single house approvals under Part 5 of the R-Codes follow the R-Codes process instead.[12] Check the policy of the relevant local government.
South Australia §
Performance-assessed applications that require notification are advertised by a sign on the site and letters to neighbours within 60 metres, and representations are accepted for 15 business days.[6] Representors can ask to be heard by the panel.[6] A merits appeal by a representor is available only for restricted (impact assessed) development.[13]
Tasmania §
Permitted applications are not open to public comment. Discretionary applications are advertised by newspaper notice, display at council, mail to neighbouring properties and a poster on the site, with at least 14 days for representations.[7] A person who lodged a representation can appeal within 14 days of the decision.[14]
Australian Capital Territory §
A non-significant development application is publicly notified for 15 working days.[8] Third parties who made a representation can seek ACAT review of merit and impact track approvals, but there is no third-party review for code track decisions, and merit track decisions involving single dwellings are exempt.[15]
Northern Territory §
Notification periods and third-party rights for Northern Territory development applications are not covered by the sources compiled here. See modular home rules in the Northern Territory for the approval framework.
Practical points §
- Ask whether the application will be notified at all. A design that stays within height and floor-space controls, or qualifies for a fast-track pathway, may avoid notification.[2][3]
- If notification is likely, talk to neighbours before lodging. A concern raised early can sometimes be dealt with in the design rather than in a condition.
- Delivery and crane days affect neighbours even when the application is not notified. See delivery, transport and craneage.
What is not covered here §
Northern Territory notification rules, the detailed R-Codes consultation process for single houses in Western Australia, heritage and bushfire referral requirements, and notification of State significant or panel-determined development are not covered by the sources compiled here. How objections are weighed in a decision is a matter for each authority and is not covered.
Related guides §
- The approval process for a modular home, step by step
- Approval timeframes by state
- Reviews and appeals after a planning decision
- Approval pathways for prefabricated and modular homes in NSW
Sent to info@modularlivingaustralia.com.au and handled by a person. See Privacy.
References §
- NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure — Statewide Community Participation Plan — took effect on 1 September 2026, replacing more than 100 council and agency community participation plans; a list of lower-impact development types needs no public exhibition where the development is consistent with building height and floor space ratio controls; authorities can extend minimum timeframes in certain circumstances. planning.nsw.gov.au/statewide-community-participation-plan
- McCullough Robertson (law firm commentary, 10 September 2026) — Summary of the Statewide Community Participation Plan — minimum 14 days for local development; excluded from exhibition where no height of buildings or floor space ratio variation is required are dwelling houses up to two storeys, dual occupancies up to two storeys, secondary dwellings, attached dwellings and multi-dwelling housing up to five dwellings, ancillary residential development and others; certain modification applications are excluded where the original development is excluded; applications lodged but not determined before 1 September 2026 remain under the previous requirements. Law-firm publication, not an official source. mccullough.com.au/2026/09/10/nsw-standardises-public-exhibition-rules/
- City of Sydney — Get approval to carry out minor development — states that neighbours must be notified when the complying development system is used for works in residential zones; the registered certifier notifies neighbours within 20 metres of the site while processing the application; neighbours have no objection rights to a complying development proposal; council must receive notice of work commencing at least 48 hours before works begin. cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/building-certification/get-approval-minor-development
- Victorian Department of Transport and Planning — Planning permits — Under section 52 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, notice must be given to owners and occupiers of adjoining land unless the responsible authority is satisfied the permit would not cause material detriment or the scheme exempts the application; methods include written notice, a sign on the land and a newspaper notice; a decision may be made no earlier than 14 days after the last required notice; objections are to be lodged within the 14-day period, though the authority must consider any objection received before it decides. planning.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/5879/3_Planning-Permits.pdf
- Somerset Regional Council (Queensland) — Development assessment process — public notification for most impact assessable applications is 15 business days, with a minimum of 30 business days where a variation request is involved. somerset.qld.gov.au/our-services/development-assessment-process
- PlanSA (South Australian Government) — Performance assessed developments that require notification — representations accepted for 15 business days after the notice is first given; a sign is placed on the site; neighbours within 60 metres are notified in writing; the panel may invite representors who asked to be heard to attend the decision meeting. plan.sa.gov.au/have_your_say/notified_developments/how_to_have_your_say/notification_types/performance_assessed_developments
- Hobart Community Legal Service — Tasmanian Law Handbook — Under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, permitted applications must be approved if they meet the standards and are not open to public comment; discretionary applications are advertised by newspaper, council display, mail to neighbouring properties and posters on the site (section 57); representations are due within the period in the notice, which must be at least 14 days from the advertisement. hobartlegal.org.au/handbook/environment/development-control-land-use-planning-and-approvals-act-1993/
- ACT Planning — Public notification period — 15 working days for minor public notification (any non-significant development application); for significant development 20 working days followed by a further 10; the authority may extend the period in some circumstances. planning.act.gov.au/applications-and-assessments/development-applications/after-you-apply/accordion-content-2/public-notification-period
- St George & Sutherland Shire Leader (news report, 1 October 2026) — Reports that under the Statewide Community Participation Plan, councils are no longer permitted to notify neighbours or accept their submissions for exempt applications, and that exempt applications are still assessed against planning controls including privacy, overshadowing, views and amenity. theleader.com.au/story/9360790/georges-river-council-da-rules-nsw-ends-neighbour-alerts/
- Victorian Department of Transport and Planning — Guide to Victoria's planning system, chapter 5 — Reviews — an objector who lodged a written objection may apply to VCAT for review of a decision to grant a permit within 28 days of the notice of decision, unless the application is exempt under section 82(1). planning.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/guides/guide-to-victorias-planning-system/chapter-5-reviews
- Queensland Law Handbook (Caxton Legal Centre), last updated 20 May 2026 — Opposing a development application — any person can oppose an impact-assessable application by making a submission to the assessment manager; code-assessable development generally does not require notification and the public has no formal submission or appeal rights for it; a submitter may appeal to the Planning and Environment Court within 20 business days of being given the decision notice. queenslandlawhandbook.org.au/the-queensland-law-handbook/living-and-working-in-society/laws-affecting-the-environment/opposing-a-development-application/
- Shire of Northam (Western Australia) — Local Planning Policy 20, advertising of planning proposals — sets advertising levels by local policy; the shortest comment period is 14 days for owners affected by a variation to standard requirements, and 21 days for higher levels; single house R-Codes approvals under Part 5 of the R-Codes follow the process in the R-Codes rather than this policy. northam.wa.gov.au/documents/11616/lpp20-advertising-of-planning-proposals
- Law Handbook SA (Legal Services Commission of South Australia) — Third-party merits appeals are available only to a person who made a written representation on a restricted (impact assessed) development, within 15 business days of the decision. lawhandbook.sa.gov.au/ch28s02s07s01.php
- State Planning Office, Tasmania — What can be appealed — a person who lodged a representation during public advertising may appeal within 14 days. stateplanning.tas.gov.au/planning-system/appeals-and-enforcement/what-can-be-appealed
- ACT Environmental Law Handbook (AustLII Communities) — Review of development approvals — third parties who made a representation and may suffer material detriment can seek ACAT review of merit and impact track approvals within 20 working days; no third-party review for code track; merit track decisions involving single dwelling developments are exempt from third-party review. austlii.community/foswiki/ACTEnvLawHbk/ReviewOfDevelopmentApprovals
Figures are as published by the sources above at their respective dates and are paraphrased summaries, not verbatim reproductions. Verify current pricing and rules directly with builders, lenders and planning authorities.