Burwood Council
Private building certifier in Croydon
CertifiBuild certifies house additions, pools, sheds and alfresco roofs in Croydon. Ahead of any design work, establish whether Burwood or Inner West controls govern your block.
NSW 2132
Class 1 homes and Class 10 structures
Local rules
Croydon's council line and conservation streets
Burwood or Inner West?
Two councils divide Croydon between them. Burwood holds roughly 62% of the land and Inner West roughly 38%. The two local environmental plans (LEPs) map different heights and floor space ratios, and each lists its own conservation areas. A planning certificate tells you whose rules and which plan govern your lot, so order one early.
Heritage is everywhere
Parts of twenty one conservation areas reach into Croydon, together covering roughly 23% of the suburb. Malvern Hill is the biggest of them. Roughly 104 heritage items are scattered through the streets, split fairly evenly between the two plans. State listed places include Shubra Hall in Boundary Street, Anthony Hordern's home from 1869, and the railway station group, which falls within Inner West.
The new northern precinct
A masterplan precinct for Croydon North took effect on 6 February 2026. It changes the Burwood LEP 2012 and lies wholly on the Burwood side. Townhouses, flats and similar multi unit housing there need a site of 1,500 m² or more. A single house is not caught by that minimum.
Typical work
Common projects and how they get approved
What owners build here
Croydon is mostly detached houses and semis, with plenty of heritage character. Our Croydon jobs mostly upgrade existing homes instead of building new ones, and the street facing front is usually left alone. Typical Class 1 and 10 projects include:
- Additions to houses within conservation areas, designed to sit well in the streetscape.
- Semi and terrace renovations, where the wall and roof are shared with the neighbour.
- Pools and swimming pool barriers on detached lots.
- Sheds, garages and other detached outbuildings in the back yard.
- Alfresco roofs and pergolas off the rear living area.
How approval usually works
Conservation area land allows very little through a CDC (a quick approval under state codes). Alterations can only touch the ground floor, not the roof. They must avoid any wall facing the main street or joining one, and cannot add height. Even so, CDCs remain open for pools, detached outbuildings and other detached work, though not for a studio. Anything bigger usually needs a development application (DA) to council, then a construction certificate. Before lodging, get the planning certificate and check heritage, the precinct map and the correct LEP. If you are inside the northern precinct and planning more than one dwelling, test the site area against the 1,500 m² threshold first. CertifiBuild reads the maps for your Croydon address up front and tells you plainly which route is open.
Our services
From approval to sign-off.
One certifier for your whole Croydon job, from the first plan check to the occupation certificate.
Local questions
Questions we hear about this suburb.
No two lots in Croydon are the same. Give us your address and we will check every map that affects it.
See the council pageWhich council deals with my Croydon renovation, Burwood or Inner West?
Order a planning certificate for the property. It names the council responsible and the local environmental plan (LEP) that covers your lot. Burwood looks after about 62% of Croydon’s land and Inner West the remaining 38% or so. The two plans set different heights and floor space ratios, and each keeps its own list of conservation areas and heritage items. Mixing them up can send a design down the wrong track, so settle this before any drawings. A nearby street may well fall under the other council.
Can I extend my Croydon home inside a conservation area without council?
Only in a limited way. Under the state alterations code, conservation area work must stay on the ground floor, avoid walls facing the main street or joined to them, leave the roof alone and add no height. Pools, sheds, garages and other detached outbuildings can still use the fast track, though a detached studio cannot. With roughly 23% of Croydon inside conservation areas, many owners hit these limits. A rear upper floor or roof change will usually need a development application (DA), then a construction certificate.
Does the Croydon North precinct stop me renovating my house?
No. The new masterplan precinct in northern Croydon, which started on 6 February 2026, sets a 1,500 m² minimum site area for townhouses, flats and similar multi-unit housing. A single house is not caught by that minimum, so ordinary renovations, pools and outbuildings carry on under the usual controls. The precinct lies entirely on the Burwood side of Croydon. Look at the precinct map to see whether it covers your block, and confirm heritage status separately, since conservation areas still apply where mapped.
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.