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Navon Planning

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Since 2014 Navon Planning has assisted clients with approvals and development advice across NSW.

02/11/2026

Explore Sydney's most beautiful homes! The “Emerald City” is also home to some of the most stunning houses and apartments. The SMH asked more than 50 architects and industry experts, including at least three former state architects, to nominate the homes they think are the most beautiful in Sydney. An expert jury of five then selected a shortlist from the more than 220 nominations and, finally, the overall winners.

The result is this list of Sydney’s 30 most beautiful homes in three categories: heritage, modern/contemporary, and apartments/units.

Enjoy!

https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2026/sydney-beautiful-homes/index.html -units

26/10/2026

Council orders you to restore unauthorised works. But how far can Council actually go?

A recent NSW Land and Environment Court decision provides an interesting reminder that Council's enforcement powers have limits. In Langway Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council (No 2) [2026] NSWLEC 1680, decided on 9 October 2026, the Court considered a Restore Works Order issued by Penrith Council following unauthorised vegetation clearing at Badgerys Creek.

The interesting part?

The Court had previously determined that some of the vegetation clearing was actually authorised under an existing development consent.

As a result, Council's restoration order needed to be amended to exclude the lawfully cleared areas.

The Court also confirmed that a Restore Works Order must relate to restoring land affected by the unauthorised works. It cannot simply require restoration of other areas of the property.

So what's the lesson for property owners?

Just because Council issues an enforcement order doesn't necessarily mean every aspect of that order is legally justified.

It's important to carefully review the original development consent, approved plans, the extent of any unauthorised works and the specific statutory powers Council is relying upon. Of course, Councils have an important responsibility to enforce planning controls. But those powers must be exercised within the limits established by legislation.

At Navon Planning, we regularly assist clients with unauthorised works. Cases like this highlight why understanding the original approval is often just as important as understanding what has subsequently been built or undertaken.

23/10/2026

What does the recently released Land and Environment Court’s 2025 Annual Review tell us about the NSW planning system? The Court finalised more matters than were registered, reduced its overall backlog for the second year running, and recorded its highest number of Class 1 finalisations since 2006.

Swipe through for a few key takeaways from the review.

20/10/2026

⚖️ Think you can modify an existing DA approval? Think again!

A recent NSW Land and Environment Court decision highlights an important limitation of Section 4.55 modifications.

In Barr Property and Planning Pty Ltd v Coffs Harbour City Council [2026] NSWLEC 1621, the applicant sought to modify an existing advertising sign to allow digital advertisements to change every 25 seconds, rather than once every 24 hours.

❌ The Court dismissed the appeal, finding that the proposal was not substantially the same development as originally approved.

🔍 Three key takeaways:

✅ The comparison must be against the original development consent, not subsequent modifications.

✅ Both physical and qualitative changes need to be considered.

✅ Construction certificate plans cannot be relied upon to expand what was originally approved.

💡 The lesson? Just because a development already exists, or has been modified previously, doesn’t mean further changes can automatically be approved under Section 4.55.

It’s an important reminder for town planners, architects and property owners to carefully review the original consent before deciding whether to lodge a modification or a new DA.

19/10/2026

Hoping to get your DA in before the end of the year? Now’s a good time to get the ball rolling.

Tell us a bit about your project and we can help you work out what’s involved. Contact us via 8355 7108 or [email protected]

15/10/2026

NSW housing completions have reached a five-year high. But are we building enough?

Some encouraging news for NSW's housing market.

According to figures released by the NSW Government last week:

🏠 49,545 new homes completed in 2025–26, up 16% on the previous year.

🏗️ 51,807 new homes commenced, an increase of more than 10%.

These are positive signs, particularly given the challenges facing the construction industry over recent years.

We've seen significant planning reforms across NSW, including the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, Transport Oriented Development, affordable housing bonuses and the Housing Delivery Authority.

The increase in completions is welcome news. The real challenge is maintaining that momentum and ensuring the thousands of additional homes being enabled through planning reforms translate into actual housing.

12/10/2026

Last month Waverley Council supported our client's dual occupancy development in Rose Bay. This project delivers two contemporary, low‑impact homes on a single lot with strata subdivision. Designed by Yvonne Haber Architects with careful site planning, it will add much needed housing choice to the area while respecting the neighbourhood character. Big thanks to the Council for their support and we’re looking forward to securing more approvals before the year ends!

07/10/2026

A top compliment is getting a DA approved within four weeks with no requests for extra information or design changes. Our North Bondi clients needed more room for their family, so we helped secure approval for ground-floor alterations, a new first floor and a garage. It was great collaborating with designers Lara Shein and Dani Filler on this one.

02/10/2026

Waverley Council recently approved our client's major renovation in North Bondi. Upgrading the existing two storey home and adding a new pool were key elements of the DA. It was a pleasure working with designer Richard Chapman and our clients on this project.

28/09/2026

Navon Planning prepared the DA for new signage at the recently opened Bondi Mental Health Centre to deliver clear wayfinding and visible branding. Although the fitout was approved via a CDC, the signage needed a DA and also provides privacy for both users and staff.

The centre was established to support the local community affected by the Bondi Beach attack and Navon Planning is proud to have contributed to this important facility. In collaboration with Anthony Eskief and Daniel Karamaneas.

Address

PO Box 517, Street Ives
Sydney, NSW
2075

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.navonplanning.com.au/

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