This free service is designed to help more efficient decision making for complex projects in Metropolitan Adelaide.
It works well for complex projects where addressing issues early in the design stage can have significant benefits.
The pre-lodgement service is free, voluntary and confidential. The service allows proponents and key decision-makers to work together to achieve the best design, planning and development outcomes.
Benefits of the service
- helps prepare the development application with all key information provided
- reduces assessment time of development proposals
- provides progressive certainty by resolving planning and design issues upfront
- facilitates pre-lodgement agreements that cut out the need for agency referrals
- allows proponents to get feedback from SCAP during the development of their proposal
- advises proponents on submitting a complete application.
Eligible developments
The pre-lodgement service is available in these areas for these development types:
City of Adelaide
Developments that are $10 million or more in value within the City of Adelaide.
Inner Metropolitan Adelaide
Developments that are five storeys or more in height within an Urban Corridor Zone as described in the council Development Plans of:
- Burnside
- Prospect
- Unley
- West Torrens
- Norwood Payneham and St Peters (also includes District Centre Zone).
Holdfast Bay
Developments that are five storeys or more in height within the District Centre (Jetty Road) Zone and Residential High Density Zone within the City of Holdfast Bay.
Port Adelaide Enfield
Developments that are $3 million or more in value within the Port Adelaide Regional Centre Zone of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.
Apply for the service
You can request the pre-lodgement service (PDF, 1222 KB) at any stage of your proposal by making an appointment with the Department.
Level 5, 50 Flinders Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 1800 752 664
Email: PlanSA@sa.gov.au
The process
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Initiation
The proponent contacts the Department to start the process and they assign a case manager.
The case manager holds an initial meeting with the proponent to decide the best assessment pathway for the proposal.
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Baseline documentation
To commence the pre-lodgement process, the proponent must submit baseline documentation.
The case manager can help proponents develop these materials in consultation with relevant referral agencies.
Baseline documentation includes:
- a description of the land use or proposal
- site analysis and consideration of the provisions of local planning regulations
- preliminary drawings that show the proposed development’s height, building envelope and access.
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Pre-lodgement panel meetings
The case manager establishes a pre-lodgement panel to review the proposal. They arrange meetings between the panel and the proponent.
The panel provides advice on the progress of the proposal and raises any significant concerns.
The panel includes:
- senior planning assessment officers
- the Government Architect or delegate
- representatives of the relevant council
- representatives of the relevant referral agencies.
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Design review
In parallel with the panel meetings, the case manager liaises between the design review panel and the proponent as required.
The panel assists the Government Architect by providing independent advice on the design quality of development proposals.
The Government Architect chairs the panel and issues a recommendations report to the proponent within 10 working days of each session. The Government Architect’s final recommendations report forms part of the pre-lodgement agreement and is considered when assessing the development application.
The design review panel includes:
- architects
- landscape architects
- other design professionals with extensive industry experience
- the Government Architect (as chair).
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Pre-lodgement agreements
The proponent seeks pre-lodgement agreements from the relevant referral bodies. Other information and materials may be required, depending on the nature of the development proposal.
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Lodgement
The proponent lodges the final development application with the relevant authority for assessment and a decision.
Documents
- Application form to commence pre-lodgement service (PDF, 1222 KB)
- Checklist of materials required for lodgement (PDF, 105 KB)
- Pathways flow chart comparing the application process with/without the pre-lodgement service (PDF, 67 KB)
- Overview of the process (PDF, 239 KB)
- Overview of the process (simplified Chinese) (PDF, 586 KB)
- Fact sheet - Step-by-step guide to the service (PDF, 321 KB)
- Fact sheet - Referrals and pre-lodgement agreements (PDF, 247 KB)
- Fact sheet - Government Architect and the design review panel (PDF, 244 KB)
- Fact sheet - Airports (PDF, 289 KB)
- Fact sheet - Affordable housing (PDF, 420 KB)
- Fact sheet - State heritage (PDF, 243 KB)
- Fact sheet - Conditions and Reserved Matters (PDF, 231 KB)
- Fact sheet - Presenting to the Inner Metropolitan Development Assessment Committee (IMDAC) (PDF, 361 KB)
- Fact sheet - Noise in planning (PDF, 299 KB)
- Fact sheet - Community engagement (PDF, 272 KB)
- Fact sheet - Port Adelaide Development Assessment Committee (PADAC) (PDF, 317 KB)
- Fact sheet - Preparing a site context report (PDF, 237 KB)