Lithgow City Council
Private building certifier in Blackmans Flat
Blackmans Flat sits just north of Lidsdale on the Castlereagh Highway. CertifiBuild certifies houses, sheds, extensions, garages and granny flats here, starting with your zone and lot size.
NSW 2790
Class 1 homes and Class 10 structures
Local rules
Blackmans Flat: an old road settlement near Lithgow
A settlement on the old road
The name appears on a survey plan from the 1850s, and the spot was once home to an inn and a toll gate on the road to Bathurst. Today it is a small locality on the Castlereagh Highway, about three kilometres from Lidsdale. Homes are mainly houses on their own blocks, so you are usually the only decision maker.
Zone and lot size decide the rules
The Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 (DCP, council’s detailed design rules) sets housing and shed limits by zone and lot size. Rural land and larger R5 lots follow the rural section, with higher shed allowances and larger boundary setbacks. Smaller urban lots get lower limits, so measure the block before you order a kit.
Mapped hazards
Check bush fire, mine subsidence and drinking water catchment mapping for your lot early. Parts of the Lithgow area are inside declared subsidence districts, and the catchment rules can affect stormwater and earthworks.
Typical work
Common projects and how they get approved
What owners build here
Blackmans Flat’s larger blocks lead to practical projects. Typical jobs we certify include:
- New houses, sited to the rural or urban setbacks that apply.
- Sheds and workshops within the floor area limits for the zone.
- Extensions and verandahs on existing homes.
- Granny flats, within the size limit in the local plan.
- Carports and garages, with driveway width and grade checked.
How approval usually works
Settle your zone and lot area first, because they decide which part of the DCP governs the shed or house. A complying development certificate (CDC, the fast-track route under state rules) can suit some houses and sheds if the design and the block both comply and no mapped hazard rules it out. Larger sheds, rural style projects and hazard affected lots often need a development application to council instead. If the bush fire map covers your block, build to the assessed construction level, and if it sits in a mine subsidence district, expect an extra approval step. CertifiBuild checks which section governs your block before anything is ordered.
Our services
From approval to sign-off.
One certifier for your whole Blackmans Flat job, from the first plan check to the occupation certificate.
Local questions
Questions we hear about this suburb.
No two lots in Blackmans Flat are the same. Give us your address and we will check every map that affects it.
See the council pageWhat shed size is allowed on a Blackmans Flat large lot?
On rural land and larger R5 lots, the Lithgow DCP 2021 lets sheds and other outbuildings cover a much bigger total area than on small urban lots, with limits on any single building, wall and ridge height, and a larger setback to side and rear boundaries. Confirm your zone and lot area first, since smaller lots get lower limits.
Do I need approval for mine subsidence at Blackmans Flat?
Only if your lot is inside a declared subsidence district. Parts of the Lithgow area are, so check the state mapping for your block. Where it applies, building needs approval from Subsidence Advisory NSW as well as the usual certificate or consent.
Can I build a granny flat on my block?
Often, if the zone, lot size and servicing allow and the flat stays within the size limit in the local plan. Bush fire mapping and subsidence status also affect it. Check these before you pay for drawings.
Building in this suburb?
Send us the address first.
We check the local maps for your lot, confirm the approval path and quote in writing.