Section 68 Approvals

What is a Section 68 approval?

Section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993 specifies a range of activities where approvals are required to be obtained from Council. These are often in addition, or ancillary to, standard Development Application requirements and are known as ‘Section 68 approvals’.

Council is the only authority that can issue Section 68 approvals. In the interest of community health and safety, it is particularly important that commercial-allied activities have been issued with their required Section 68 approval(s) prior to commencement of operations.

What types of activities generally require a Section 68 approval?

The following types of activities generally require approval under Section 68;

Temporary structures and places of public entertainment

  • Install a manufactured home, moveable dwelling or associated structures.

Water supply, sewerage and stormwater work

  • Carry out water supply work
  • Draw water from a Council water supply or a standpipe (including selling of the water)
  • Install, alter, disconnect or remove a meter connected to a service pipe
  • Carry out sewerage work
  • Carry out stormwater drainage work
  • Connect a private drain or sewer with a Council controlled public drain or sewer.

Management of waste

  • Transport waste over or under a public place
  • Put waste in a public place
  • Put a waste storage container in a public place
  • Dispose of waste into a Council sewer
  • Install, construct or alter a waste treatment device, or a human waste storage facility (such as a ‘septic tank’), or, a drain connected to such a facility or device
  • Operate an on-site sewage management system (OSMS).

Community Land 

  • Engage in a trade or business
  • Direct or procure a theatrical, musical or other entertainment for the public on community land
  • Construct a temporary enclosure for the purpose of entertainment
  • Play a musical instrument or sing on community land for fee or reward
  • Set up, operate or use a loudspeaker or sound amplifying device on community land 
  • Deliver a public address or hold a religious service or a public meeting on community land. 

Public Roads 

  • Swing or hoist goods across or over any part of a public road by means of a lift, hoist or tackle over the footway
  • Expose, or allow to be exposed (whether for sale or otherwise) any article in, on, or to overhang any part of the road or outside a shop window or doorway abutting the road, or to hang an article beneath an awning over the road. 

Other activities 

  • Operate a public car park 
  • Operate a caravan park or camping ground
  • Operate a manufactured home estate
  • Install a domestic oil or solid fuel heating applicant, other than a portable appliance 
  • Install or operate an amusement device
  • Use a standing vehicle or any article for the purpose of selling any article in a public place
  • Carry out an activity prescribed under the Local Government Regulations. 

Application 

Lodgement of Section 68 Activity Approvals is now through the NSW Government Planning Portal.

To assist with Applications the Portal have compiled a collection of resources which can be on the NSW Government Planning Portal website

 

Need further information? 

Please contact the Environment, Tourism and Economic Development Department on 02 6895 1950 for any further information or clarification regarding Section 68 Approvals.