Penrith City Council
Private building certifier in Cambridge Park
Cambridge Park is a grid of post-war houses, many built between the 1950s and 1970s. We help owners decide how to extend, rebuild or add a dwelling, and we certify the work.
NSW 2747
Class 1 homes and Class 10 structures
Local rules
Renovating post-war Cambridge Park
An older grid suburb
According to the Penrith Urban Study, the suburb was carved into a regular grid of streets after the war. Most houses went up between the 1950s and the 1970s. Many have had garages, patios or rooms added since, so the original house and later work often need to be told apart.
Who lives here
The 2021 Census showed 7,054 residents, with 2,727 private dwellings counted. Separate houses were 84.4% of occupied homes. Semis, terraces and townhouses were 14.0%, while flats were only 1.5%.
Parks and the creek
The same study notes open space along Werrington Creek and Allsopp Oval close to the shops. A park view is pleasant, but it does not count toward the private open space your lot must keep. Living near the creek is also no proof of flooding on your lot. For that, get up-to-date flood information from council for your address.
Planning controls
Zoning comes from the Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010. Penrith's development control plan (DCP) deals with granny flats, duplexes and townhouse developments in different sections. Decide which one you want early, because lot size, parking and bulk are tested differently for each.
Typical work
Common projects and how they get approved
What owners build here
Class 1 and 10 projects we often see in Cambridge Park:
- Second storeys and living area extensions. Check the existing floor level, frame and any past additions before you design.
- Knockdown rebuilds. Compare what the old house offers with the envelope a new home could use. Structural condition, room layout and floor height often tip the decision one way.
- Granny flats. The second dwelling must have its own way in and a private yard; a footprint squeezed in at the back is not enough.
- Duplexes. Council's preferred dual occupancy layout keeps planting at the rear and gives both homes a clear street address, rather than letting the driveway run the design.
- Pools, patios and carports. These may take up the yard space a future granny flat would need.
How approval usually works
Minor structures may be exempt when they meet every standard. Most work takes one of two routes. A certifier can approve a CDC quickly against a State code. Otherwise, lodge a DA (development application) with council, with a CC (construction certificate) after that. Flood mapping, lot width or heritage can make a CDC unavailable. Near the creek, new paving or an extension built up off the ground may need drainage evidence. Send us a planning certificate, a survey showing everything that will stay on site and any past approvals. The CertifiBuild team can then explain the options and inspect each stage of the build.
Our services
From approval to sign-off.
One certifier for your whole Cambridge Park job, from the first plan check to the occupation certificate.
Local questions
Questions we hear about this suburb.
No two lots in Cambridge Park are the same. Give us your address and we will check every map that affects it.
See the council pageIs there room for a granny flat on my Cambridge Park block?
Often yes, though it turns on where the current home sits and how much garden remains. Plenty of Cambridge Park houses have gained garages, patios or extra rooms over the decades, and these eat into the backyard. Have the whole lot surveyed, showing every structure you intend to keep. A granny flat needs its own entry and a private yard, so a footprint squeezed in at the back will not be enough. Penrith’s development control plan (DCP) treats granny flats separately from duplexes, so settle which one you want first.
Should I extend my 1960s house or knock it down?
Either can make sense in Cambridge Park, where much of the housing went up between the 1950s and 1970s. First separate the first build from any later rooms, then check the frame, floor level and room layout. Going up a level only works if the old walls and footings are strong enough for it. A rebuild lets you use the full envelope a new home allows, but loses whatever is sound. An extension that keeps awkward access or uses up the yard can end up the poorer choice. Ask for a structural inspection before choosing.
My home is close to Werrington Creek. Is a DA automatic?
No. Living close to Werrington Creek does not by itself put your lot in a flood category or rule out a complying development certificate (CDC). Get up-to-date flood information from Penrith City Council for your address and a planning certificate, then measure the planned work against the applicable code. Should the mapping mean a development application is needed, council’s water management rules will guide the drainage details. New paving or a raised extension near the creek may also need drainage evidence, so ask about that early.
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.