Development applications in Willoughby City Council
We have no rezoning amendments on record for this council yet, but we track its development applications. The figures below are counted directly from the development application register over the last 12 months.
Development applications · last 12 months
Applications lodged in this council in the trailing 12 months, by current status. Counted directly from the development application register.
- Total lodged
- 417
- last 12 months
- Lodged
- 0
- Under assessment
- 55
- Determined
- 333
- Withdrawn
- 29
Decision speed
How quickly this council determines a development application, measured from lodgement to determination across every decided application that carries both dates.
- Median time to decision
- 87 days
- half are decided faster than this
- Average
- 110 days
- a few slow cases pull this up
- Based on
- 838
- determined applications
Recent amendments
| Amendment | Stage | Status date | Gazettal | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012 | Post-exhibition | 29 May 2026 | · | Approved |
Planning disputes
20 on recordPlanning and environment court and tribunal matters naming Willoughby City Council, newest first. Each links to the full public judgment.
| Matter | Court | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| Willoughby City Council v Rahmani [2017] NSWLEC 166 SENTENCE - prosecution for removal of trees contrary to requirement of development consent - early plea of guilty - trees were three mature specimens with long Safe Useful Life Expectancies - trees were part of a critically endangered ecological community - removal negligent but not reckless - consideration of Defendant’s subjective circumstances including agreement to order requiring planting of two replacement trees - appropriate starting penalty $90,000 - consideration of Defendant’s capacity | NSWLEC | 6 Dec 2017 |
| Willoughby City Council v Screnci [2015] NSWLEC 192 CRIMINAL LAW – plea of guilty entered – sentence hearing held – application to withdraw guilty plea and enter plea in bar – offences against s 125(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act – defendant caused development to be carried out without consent – prosecution must establish proceedings were commenced within limitation period – s 127(5) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act – evidence does not establish the proceedings were commenced in time – statutory bar upon comme | NSWLEC | 10 Dec 2015 |
| Cavric v Willoughby City Council [2015] NSWCA 182 HIGHWAYS – car park used to pass from one street to another – whether car park a “public road” – whether owner council a “roads authority” – legislative history in relation to opening public roads in NSW area not a road under the common law – whether user sufficient basis to establish existence of public road under statute – whether the Roads Act 1993 (NSW), s 249 a separate test of what is a public road or evidentiary provision only – effect of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), 178 – Stojan (No | NSWCA | 3 July 2015 |
| Willoughby City Council v Wu [2014] NSWLEC 165 CIVIL ENFORCEMENT - failure to comply with a statutory brothel closure order issued by a council - carrying out unauthorised development at the subject premises - whether declarations should be made in addition to injunctions - principles relating to declaratory relief. | NSWLEC | 20 Oct 2014 |
| Willoughby City Council v Chen [2014] NSWLEC 92 CIVIL ENFORCEMENT: Brothel and sex uses at premises without consent - use and advertising prohibited - Council's closure order disobeyed - use alleged to have ceased. | NSWLEC | 3 July 2014 |
| Willoughby Council v Vlahos [2013] NSWLEC 71 PROSECUTION - breach of s 125 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 - plea of guilty - removal of a tree required to be retained by conditions of a development consent - environmental harm - refusal of order under s 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 | NSWLEC | 16 May 2013 |
| Willoughby City Council v Finlay (No.2) [2010] NSWLEC 233 PROSECUTION :- development without consent, heritage significance, project designer charged as well as builder, plea of guilty, sentencing options, conviction, costs | NSWLEC | 12 Nov 2010 |
| Willoughby City Council v Finlay [2010] NSWLEC 184 BIAS :- application at sentencing hearing that judge disqualify himself on ground of apprehended bias - findings of fact and credibility made by judge in earlier companion case favourable to the principal of defendant in that case to be called as prosecution witness in present case and to be contested by defendant in present case - application granted - desirability of giving notice of recusal application as soon as possible so that, if successful, the case may be heard forthwith by another judg | NSWLEC | 24 Sept 2010 |
| Willoughby City Council v BCPD Pty Limited [2010] NSWLEC 163 ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES :- sentencing of builder for demolition without development consent. | NSWLEC | 31 Aug 2010 |
| SKULANDER v WILLOUGHBY CITY COUNCIL [2007] NSWCA 116 TORTS – Negligence – essentials of action for negligence – duty of care – occupier’s liability – passenger at bus interchange collides with object protruding from wall - TORTS – Negligence – essentials of action for negligence – breach of duty of care – risk of collision – careless or inadvertent plaintiff – means and options of alleviating risk – placing obstacle around hazard – making object more visible – whether reasonable to do so - TORTS – negligence – contributory negligence – failure to | NSWCA | 18 May 2007 |
| Randall Pty Limited v Willoughby City Council [2005] NSWLEC 51 Appeal :- question of utility where application refused by Commissioner on ground of merit. Whether Commissioner applied correct test of fact and degree for ancillary development. Development consent :- test for finality. Development :- whether development ancillary to other development. | NSWLEC | 17 Feb 2005 |
| Randall Pty Limited v Willoughby City Council [2004] NSWLEC 295 Development Application :- proper basis for consideration of economic impacts of the locality - test for characterisation of development Appeal :- Commissioner's duty to give reasons - approach of "fine tooth comb" rejected | NSWLEC | 11 June 2004 |
| Willoughby City Council v Revelas [2004] NSWLEC 747 Environmental Offences :- lopping tree without consent under Tree Preservation Order-Sentence-offence of low gravity-mitigating circumstances-modest penalty imposed | NSWLEC | 3 June 2004 |
| Willoughby City Council v Revelas [2004] NSWLEC 147 Environmental Offences :- injuring tree without consent under TPO-honest and reasonable mistake | NSWLEC | 8 Apr 2004 |
| Willoughby City Council v Revelas [2004] NSWLEC 138 Environmental Offences :- carrying out development without development consent-plea of guilty-mitigating circumstances-application for discharge. | NSWLEC | 8 Apr 2004 |
| Bowen v Willoughby City Council [2001] NSWLEC 274 Development Application :- Development appeal - SEPP No 1 objection to foreshore building line created by LEP-whether development absolutely prohibited. | NSWLEC | 4 Dec 2001 |
| Bowen v Willoughby City Council [2000] NSWLEC 197 Costs :- Question of law raised by Council for preliminary determination in pending class 1 proceedings. Whether exceptional circumstances demonstrated to justify a cost order. | NSWLEC | 31 Aug 2000 |
| Willoughby City Council v Bowen [2000] NSWLEC 198 Practice & Procedure :- summary dismissal of permanent stay of class 4 proceedings raising a question of law relevant to pending class 1 proceedings. | NSWLEC | 31 Aug 2000 |
| Bowen V Willoughby City Council [2000] NSWLEC 69 Question of Law :- Determination at preliminary stage whether proposed development prohibited development - whether LEP provisions concerning foreshore building line is a development standard. | NSWLEC | 6 Apr 2000 |
| Willoughby City Council - v - Sydney Water Corporation [1999] NSWLEC 131 Construction & Interpretation :- approval under Pt 5 EPA Act | NSWLEC | 10 June 1999 |
Discovery signals matched on council name. We link to the public judgment; we do not reproduce its text.
How these numbers are computed
- Development applications are counted directly from the development application register over the trailing 12 months, grouped by their current canonical status. The full list is on the applications page.