Council demolition requirements
Demolishing a house in the City of Parramatta Council area
What City of Parramatta 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 34 suburbs we service across the Hills District, the North Shore, Parramatta, Ryde, the Inner West and Western Sydney.
How the council handles demolition approvals
City of Parramatta Council’s demolition page describes the Development Application (DA) pathway through the NSW Planning Portal; a Complying Development Certificate may still be available under the state Demolition Code where the property qualifies. Demolishing something originally built as exempt development may itself be exempt if it meets the state criteria, which rule out heritage-listed properties and heritage conservation areas.
Heritage items and conservation areas
Work on heritage items and properties in heritage conservation areas needs a DA, and the council says it is highly unlikely to allow their demolition. Some minor works can go ahead through a heritage minor works application.
Trees on the block
You need the council’s permission to remove any tree or palm five metres or taller, planted trees three metres or taller, and trees on heritage items or in heritage conservation areas. Removal can’t be approved because of a planned development, only on the tree’s own merits.
Flood and bushfire mapping
Parramatta maps high, medium and low flood risk precincts. A DA in a flood risk area needs a flood enquiry application as well as a section 10.7 planning certificate, and redevelopment in medium or high risk precincts needs a flood study and modelling.
Fees, bonds and public land
Alongside road opening and footpath crossing permits, the council has a questionnaire for getting a damage bond released.
Also worth knowing
According to the council, a section 10.7 certificate can identify bushfire and other planning considerations affecting a property.
Council pages change. Treat this as a starting point and confirm requirements with City of Parramatta Council or your certifier before setting a demolition date. City of Parramatta 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.
- Baulkham Hills
- Beecroft
- Camellia
- Carlingford
- Cheltenham
- Clyde
- Constitution Hill
- Dundas
- Dundas Valley
- Eastwood
- Epping
- Ermington
- Granville
- Harris Park
- Lidcombe
- Mays Hill
- Melrose Park
- Newington
- North Parramatta
- North Rocks
- Northmead
- Oatlands
- Old Toongabbie
- Pendle Hill
- Rosehill
- Rydalmere
- Seven Hills
- Silverwater
- Sydney Olympic Park
- Telopea
- Toongabbie
- Wentworth Point
- Westmead
- Winston Hills
Start with your property
Planning a demolition in the City of Parramatta 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.