How it works

Every result on plotdetect.com.au comes from live government data sources and satellite imagery — not static PDFs or manually maintained databases. Here's exactly where each tool gets its data, how often it updates, and what the limitations are.

Granny Flat Eligibility

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Data sources

NSW Planning Portal (lot API)Zone, lot size, strata status, heritage, and LEP controls for the property
SEPP Housing 2021 criteriaState-wide eligibility rules: minimum 450 m² lot, permitted zones, not strata
NSW SIX Maps aerial imageryHigh-resolution aerial tiles for automated structure detection on the lot
Council DCP setback controlsSecondary dwelling setback, landscaping, and parking standards by LGA

Update cadence

Planning Portal data is queried live at time of check. Aerial imagery is updated by NSW Spatial Services (typically annually). DCP controls are updated when new LGAs are onboarded.

Limitations

Structure detection accuracy is ~85–90% for standard residential lots. Heritage overlays and strata restrictions may introduce exceptions. DCP setback data is available for councils with structured controls. Always confirm with a certifier before committing.

Flood Screening

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Data sources

NSW SEED EPI Flood Planning overlayStatutory flood zone classification from the state-wide EPI hazard layer (ArcGIS REST)
Council flood studiesFlood planning area extents and AEP tier classifications from council-published studies
Flood study rastersDesign flood depths and water levels at specific AEP events (1-in-5 through PMF)
Copernicus EMS flood activationsSatellite-confirmed historical flood event records
JRC Global Surface Water40-year surface water occurrence from Landsat imagery (1984–present)
DEA Water Observations (WOfS)Australian surface water frequency from Landsat (1987–present, 25 m resolution)
BOM Water Data OnlineNearest river gauge, last major flood event, and flood event history
NSW 5 m DEM (SIX Maps)Ground elevation to compute flood depth from water level surfaces

Update cadence

EPI overlay and BOM gauge data are queried live. Council flood studies are updated when new studies are published (typically every 3–5 years per LGA). JRC and DEA datasets use multi-year composites.

Limitations

EPI flood overlay coverage is limited to LGAs that have uploaded polygon data to the state portal (~11 LGAs). Council flood study rasters are available for 3 study areas (expanding). Where no data is available, the result shows "unavailable" — absence of data is not clearance.

Solar Potential

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Data sources

Google Solar APIRoof geometry, panel layout, segment orientation, and annual energy yield estimate
NSW Heritage RegisterHeritage listing check — heritage properties may face additional approval requirements for solar installations
LEP Height of Buildings controlsMaximum permitted building height for neighbouring lots (shadow cross-sell context)

Update cadence

Google Solar API data is queried live. Heritage and height data are queried live from spatial overlays.

Limitations

Yield estimates are based on Google Solar API modelling and assume standard panel configurations. Heavily shaded roofs, unusual orientations, or multi-storey buildings may produce less accurate estimates. Results are indicative — a CEC-accredited solar installer assessment is required for system sizing.

Shadow Analysis

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Data sources

ESA Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (via Element84)Spectral change detection to identify recent construction near the property
NSW Planning Portal (lot API)Cadastral lot boundary for the subject property
Solar position algorithm (pvlib)Sun angle at 9 am, noon, and 3 pm on June 21 (winter solstice — worst case)
LEP height limit controlsMaximum permitted building height from LEP and DCP to model worst-case neighbour shadow

Update cadence

Solar position calculations are deterministic. Satellite imagery uses the most recent available Sentinel-2 pass. LEP height controls are queried live.

Limitations

Shadow analysis is computed for the winter solstice as the worst-case scenario. Height estimates use LEP-permitted maximums, not actual building heights. Results are an estimate — council-submitted shadow diagrams require a licensed surveyor or certifier.

Pre-DA Site History

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Data sources

ESA Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (via Element84)Annual satellite composites for year-on-year physical change detection (2017–present)
Vegetation and built-up spectral indicesNDVI and NDBI indices to distinguish construction activity from natural vegetation changes
NSW ePlanning Portal (OnlineDA + OnlineCDC)DA, CDC, construction certificate, and occupation certificate records for the address
NSW Government spatial overlaysHeritage conservation area boundary check
NSW Planning Portal (geocoder)Address resolution to precise lot coordinates

Update cadence

Satellite composites are based on annual dry-season imagery (June–September, lowest cloud cover). DA records are queried live from the ePlanning Portal. Heritage overlays are updated when councils publish new spatial data.

Limitations

Satellite change detection has ~10 m resolution — small structures (sheds, fences) may not register. DA records depend on councils submitting to the ePlanning Portal. Heritage overlays cover conservation areas only, not all individual heritage items.

Development Monitor

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Data sources

NSW ePlanning Portal (OnlineDA + OnlineCDC)All DA and CDC applications lodged across NSW
Automated daily ingestionApplications from 128 NSW councils indexed and geocoded daily

Update cadence

DA data is refreshed daily from the NSW ePlanning Portal. There is typically a 24–48 hour lag from lodgement to appearance in results.

Limitations

Coverage depends on councils submitting applications to the ePlanning Portal. Some councils may have incomplete records. Search radius is 500 m for the free check; monitoring alerts cover 200 m.

Bushfire Pre-Screen

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Data sources

NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL Map)Bush Fire Prone Land classification — Category 1, 2, 3 and vegetation buffer zones (ArcGIS REST)
NSW Government spatial overlaysFlood, heritage, and zone overlay cross-checks for the property

Update cadence

RFS BFPL dataset is updated annually. Spatial overlay data is queried live.

Limitations

BAL band estimation is indicative and based on vegetation proximity, not a formal AS 3959 assessment. A certified BAL report from an accredited practitioner is required for DA lodgement in bushfire-prone areas.

Conveyancing Planning Disclosure

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Data sources

NSW Planning Portal (layerintersect API)Zone, FSR, height, heritage, environmental overlays, LEP provisions
Council DCP provisionsSetback controls, parking rates, and landscaping standards for 28 LGAs
NSW Rural Fire ServiceBushfire-prone land status
NSW Government spatial overlaysFlood control lot status from LEP and council flood studies

Update cadence

Planning Portal data is queried live. DCP provisions are updated when new LGAs are onboarded or instruments are amended.

Limitations

DCP setback controls are available for 28 LGAs. Full DCP coverage (all provision types) is available for Inner West Council. The conveyancing disclosure does not replace a section 10.7 planning certificate.

Climate Risk Score

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Data sources

NARCliM 2.0Regional climate projections — temperature and precipitation change to 2099 under SSP2.45 and SSP3.70 scenarios
NSW Rural Fire ServiceBush Fire Prone Land classification
NSW Planning PortalEPI flood overlay data
SEPP (Resilience and Hazards) 2021Coastal management zone mapping
NPWS fire history datasetHistorical fire scar polygons

Update cadence

NARCliM projections are static (model outputs do not change). RFS and flood data are queried live. Fire history is updated when NPWS publishes new data.

Limitations

The composite score is deterministic and based on publicly available hazard datasets. It does not account for property-level factors (construction type, elevation within lot, vegetation management). The Climate Risk Report (with full NARCliM trajectories) is not yet available — pending incorporation and professional indemnity insurance.

How we check our work

Every data source listed above is monitored by automated checks that run daily. If a government API goes down, returns unexpected data, or stops responding entirely, our monitoring flags it before any report is affected.

15

Data sources monitored daily

100%

Reports with full audit trail

< 2 min

Alert time on source failure

  • -Every report records the exact API endpoints queried, response timestamps, and data versions used.
  • -Reports with missing audit data or empty outputs are flagged automatically and withheld until resolved.
  • -Source health checks probe each API for expected response structure, not just HTTP 200 status.

How results are computed

Every tool on this platform uses deterministic processing. Given the same property and the same source data, the result is identical every time. There is no AI interpretation, no language model inference, and no probabilistic scoring in the compliance pipeline.

  • -Planning controls are extracted verbatim from government instruments — never paraphrased or summarised.
  • -Satellite analysis uses published spectral indices with fixed thresholds, not trained classifiers.
  • -Where multiple data sources cover the same property, all are shown independently — we do not blend or average conflicting values.

What this is not

  • -Not a planning certificate. These results do not replace a Section 10.7 certificate issued by council.
  • -Not legal or financial advice. We present government data — interpretation requires a qualified professional.
  • -Not a substitute for site inspection. Satellite and spatial data cannot capture every on-ground condition.
  • -Not exhaustive. Where data is unavailable for a property, the result states “unavailable” — absence of data is not clearance.

A note on accuracy

All results on this platform are indicative — they are starting points for due diligence, not formal planning determinations. NSW planning controls change frequently, and no automated system can substitute for a qualified town planner or building certifier reviewing your specific situation. We cite every data source so you can verify results directly.

Read how we validate data before it reaches you →