Approvals

Navigating The Hills Shire Council for Your Knockdown Rebuild

A practical 2026 guide to getting your Castle Hill knockdown rebuild approved through The Hills Shire Council — CDC vs DA, timelines, documents and how to avoid delays.

TL;DR Your Castle Hill knockdown rebuild needs approval for both demolition and the new home. The two pathways are a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) via a private certifier — faster, if your design meets the codes — or a Development Application (DA) to The Hills Shire Council via the NSW Planning Portal. A well-prepared Castle Hill DA typically reaches determination in around 8–14 weeks. The single biggest time-saver is a complete, correctly-documented application that matches every requirement under The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2019 and the relevant SEPP. This guide shows you how the process works locally. CDC vs DA: which pathway? Complying Development Certificate (CDC) If your design fully meets the relevant State code and The Hills LEP standards — height, setbacks, floor …