Council demolition requirements
Demolishing a house in the Georges River Council area
What Georges River Council publishes about demolition approvals, heritage, trees and site conditions, read from its own pages on 21 September 2026. The council or certifier confirms the pathway for your address.
Covers 24 suburbs we service across St George.
How the council handles demolition approvals
Georges River Council says minor work may be exempt or approved as a CDC; otherwise a DA is lodged on the NSW Planning Portal. Applications must address demolition methods and explain how demolition waste will be reused, recycled or disposed of.
Heritage items and conservation areas
The council has three heritage conservation areas (Penshurst, O’Brien’s Estate and Kogarah South) and over 300 heritage items. Work on a heritage item or in a conservation area needs a Statement of Heritage Impact, though minor works that don’t affect heritage significance may be exempt.
Conservation areas the council names: Penshurst Heritage Conservation Area, O’Brien’s Estate Heritage Conservation Area, Kogarah South Heritage Conservation Area.
Trees on the block
Check the council’s Tree Management Policy for exempt works and species. Removing a tree on a heritage item needs a DA, and in a conservation area usually does too, unless the council is satisfied the tree is a risk to life or property.
Flood and bushfire mapping
Bushfire prone land is mapped in the Peakhurst, Mortdale and Hurstville wards, where development must meet Planning for Bushfire Protection and include a Bushfire Assessment Report. Applicants must also show designs won’t adversely affect flooding on other land.
Council pages change. Treat this as a starting point and confirm requirements with Georges River Council or your certifier before setting a demolition date. Georges River Council website
The same across NSW
What applies in every council area
Council requirements sit on top of state rules that do not change from one area to the next.
Approval pathway
Most house demolition needs either a development application to the council or a complying development certificate from the council or a registered certifier under the state Demolition Code. Heritage items and conservation areas are generally excluded from the complying pathway.
Read the approvals guideLicensed demolition
Demolition work is licensed by SafeWork NSW. Gabrael holds restricted demolition licence AD202697 (DE2) and lodges the required notifications for the work it carries out.
How to check a contractorAsbestos
Suspected asbestos must be assessed before the building is disturbed. Our Class B licence AD211249 covers bonded, non-friable material; friable asbestos is removed by our Class A licensed partner.
Asbestos before demolitionUtilities
Water, sewer, electricity, gas and telecommunications are disconnected or abolished through the providers before demolition, and Before You Dig Australia is checked for services.
Utility disconnections guideNeighbours
Approval conditions commonly set working hours and neighbour notice, and a dilapidation report protects both sides where buildings sit close to the boundary.
Neighbours and noticeWaste
Concrete, timber and metals are sorted for licensed recycling and asbestos goes to an approved disposal facility with documentation. Some councils ask for a waste plan with the application.
Where the waste goes
Suburbs we service in this council area
Suburbs that sit across a council boundary appear under each council. We confirm the council for the exact address before preparing an application.
Start with your property
Planning a demolition in the Georges River Council area?
Send the property address and what needs to go. We check the council, planning controls and heritage status for the address, then arrange a free site assessment.
7am to 7pm, seven days.