Do I need planning approval to change the use of my premises in NSW?

In most cases, yes. Changing the use of a premises — for example from retail to a café, or from office to a creative studio — requires planning approval because different uses have different impacts on parking, noise, amenity and infrastructure. Sky Planning can quickly assess whether your proposed change of use is permissible and what approval pathway applies.

How long does a change of use application take in NSW?

Change of use applications that qualify as complying development can be approved in 10-20 business days. Full development applications typically take 40-90 days. The timeframe depends on the council, the type of use proposed, and whether pre-DA engagement has been undertaken.

What factors affect whether a change of use is approved?

Key factors include whether the proposed use is permissible in the zone, parking availability, noise and amenity impacts on neighbours, hours of operation, and any heritage or environmental constraints. Sky Planning assesses all of these factors upfront to give you a clear picture before lodging an application.

Commercial Fitout & Use Approvals Projects | Sky Planning

The space looks right. The planning question is whether the use does too.

A great location doesn't automatically make a great planning position. What seems like a simple shift — a retail tenancy becoming a café, a warehouse becoming a creative studio, a commercial floor being repurposed for something entirely new — can involve zoning permissibility, operational impacts, parking obligations and council sensitivities that aren't obvious until someone who knows what to look for actually looks.

That someone is us. We've navigated change of use projects across hospitality, retail, creative industries, film and television, entertainment venues and mixed-use developments. We know where the hidden complexity tends to sit — and how to move through it efficiently.

What we do from the first conversation

We assess your proposal before you commit resources to a formal application. That means understanding your vision, running the planning controls, identifying the right approval pathway, and giving you an honest picture of what it will take — and how long. No guesswork, no pleasant surprises later.

Permissibility review — is the use actually allowed in this zone?
Identifying the fastest and most appropriate approval pathway
Preparing and coordinating your change of use application end-to-end
Assessing operational impacts — noise, parking, access, amenity, hours of operation
Pre-application council engagement to shape the process before lodgement
Ongoing liaison with council and relevant authorities through to approval

Documents & approvals we prepare

Change of use projects involve a specific set of planning documents. Here's what we typically prepare and manage on your behalf:

Development Application (DA) Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) Complying Development Certificate (CDC) CDC Planning Report Permissibility Assessment Operational Impact Assessment Pre-lodgement Council Submission

The question you don't want to answer mid-lease

Operators who discover a permissibility problem after signing a lease, or a parking shortfall after the fitout is underway, face a very different set of options than those who asked the question at the right time. We exist to be the right time. A quick conversation with us before you commit is worth far more than an urgent call after.

We work at pace. We understand that business decisions don't wait for planning timelines, and we've built our practice around being genuinely responsive — especially in the early assessment phase when speed matters most.

We've worked where it counts

We've advised some of Sydney's most recognised venues, hospitality groups, creative operators and film production companies on change of use matters. That depth of experience means we understand not just the planning framework, but the commercial and operational pressures driving your decision. We bring both to every engagement.

Not sure if you need approval? That's exactly when to call.

The most common starting point for a change of use conversation is uncertainty — and that's fine. We can quickly give you a clear read on your situation, what the planning framework requires, and how to move forward. It's usually simpler than people fear — or at least more manageable than they think.