Historical building and development applications
The City of Sydney Archives maintains records to building and development applications, as well as other property records, including subdivision files. Some of these records date back as far as 1909.
Building and development applications were generated for properties if an application was submitted (DA) and building work carried out (BA). If there is to be a change in use of a building, a DA was, and is, required. DAs cover what was proposed by the applicant and was approved by Council. BAs cover the erection of a building and alterations to it. If these records survived and were archived, they will be available for access.
Consent documents, such as approved uses of buildings, are normally found on the files relating to a building.
City Archives do not have application records for every building in the city. They will only be available if an application was submitted to the City and the records have survived and been archived.
What does a BA or DA tell you?
- the name/s of the previous owner
- the previous use/s of the building
- current use at time of application
- the name of the architect/s
- a description of the works to the building
- the cost of the works to the building
Applications may also include plans, relevant information about the surrounding area, building inspectors’ and surveyors’ reports, Council decisions concerning the application, correspondence and inspectors’ reports about the work when carried out. Occasionally, a photograph may be attached to a file.
Search across development and building records
The archivists have brought together many of the key records that cover development and building applications into one collection to make it easier for you to target your research.
You can search this collection. The search on this page will only return items within this collection. It will search the title and descriptions of the records only.
It is important to note that to view any available content of development and building files you need to be registered as a member of Archives & History Resources and logged on.
Key record series
The main records series covering building and development applications in the City of Sydney are:
Council kept registers and written descriptions of the BAs from 1879, but it appears it did not start creating files until 1908. Many of the early records have been culled – early BA descriptions and pre-1940s BA files were destroyed in the 1950s and 60s. DA files are held from 1954. Approved building plans date back to 1909.
Development consents may also be available in the printed annual volumes of the Proceedings of Council. Development consents are published from 1946.
Registers
City Archives holds registers which relate to building and development applications. So even if the application file does not survive, you may find some information in the registers.
- Building application registers, 1907–1993 (AS-0122) – hardcopy format
- Development application registers, 1956–1994 (AS-0311) – hardcopy format
- Planning street cards, 1909–1994 – online
Before computerised systems were introduced, all BAs and DAs were indexed by street address in the planning street cards. See Section 07 Planning Street Cards for more information for what is contained in this series.
Absorbed councils: BA and DA files, registers and plans
We also hold records, application files, registers and plans relating to other council areas which have been absorbed into the City of Sydney. Many of these are captured in the Development and Building collection search. Check the records listing for each municipal council in Archives and History Resources to see exactly what records are held:
- Alexandria Municipal Council
- Darlington Municipal Council
- Erskineville Municipal Council
- Glebe Municipal Council
- Newtown Municipal Council
- Paddington Municipal Council
- Redfern Municipal Council
- South Sydney Municipal Council (1968–1974)
- South Sydney City Council (1988–2002)
- Waterloo Municipal Council
Search tips
All the available property application records (plans and files) held by City Archives up to the late 1970s, and in some cases the early 1980s, are listed in our online catalogue Archives and History Resources.
Key series relating to building and development have been curated into the Development and Building Collection. The search on this page will only return items within this collection - it is a targeted search of selected records. It searches the contents as well as descriptions of files. To fully understand exactly the records included in this collection see the Subject Guide to Records of Development and Building.
Try search terms such as a property address. For example, ‘12 George’ or a person’s name. Do not include terms like ‘street’, ‘st’, ‘road’, ‘rd’.
More recent records
Recent records are catalogued and held in active files. You can try the online DA Search. Plans for recent decades may be held in the active files of Council. Our archivists can advise.
Access to the records
All of these records are available from City Archives. To arrange access contact City Archives to make an appointment.
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