Cumberland Local Planning Panel - 11 Nov 2026

Topics

• Cumberland Panel approves 38-apartment affordable-housing project in South Granville
  A four-storey, 38-apartment affordable-housing development at 57–61 Pegler Avenue has been approved after consideration of public submissions.
  The project will add affordable housing and alter a local site through demolition, tree removal and construction of a basement car park.
• Merrylands secondary dwelling approved despite minimum-lot-size variation
  The Panel backed a Clause 4.6 variation and approved a secondary dwelling at 11A Duke Street.
  The decision shows how housing-policy variation provisions are being applied to add housing in a low-density residential area.
• Cumberland planning panel hands more decisions to Council staff
  The Panel delegated specified heritage and secondary-dwelling determinations to designated Council planning officers, with a review due in three years.
  The change could affect how eligible applications are assessed and whether they need to return to the Panel.

Decisions

• Secondary dwelling approved at 11A Duke Street, Merrylands
  The Panel supported a Clause 4.6 variation to the minimum site-area standard under State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 and approved DA2026/0584 for a single-storey secondary dwelling, subject to Council assessment-report conditions.
  The approval permits an additional dwelling in a low-density residential area, with conditions intended to manage impacts on neighbours and the locality.
• Affordable housing development approved at 57–61 Pegler Avenue, South Granville
  The Panel approved DA2026/0397 for demolition of existing structures, tree removal and construction of a four-storey infill affordable-housing development containing 38 apartments over a basement car park, subject to conditions.
  The decision adds 38 affordable-housing apartments in South Granville. People who made submissions must be notified of the determination.
• Planning functions delegated to Council staff
  The Panel delegated specified development-application and modification determinations under section 2.20(8) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to designated Cumberland Council planning officers. The stated functions include certain heritage-site works, works to trees on heritage-item land, and some secondary-dwelling applications that contravene the minimum site-area standard, subject to Schedule A conditions.
  Eligible applications may be determined by Council staff rather than returning to the Panel, subject to the listed heritage, environmental-planning and site-area safeguards.
• Three-year review of delegations
  The Panel recommended that the delegations be reviewed in three years in conjunction with the future Panel Chair.
  The delegation arrangements are not intended to be permanent without review.

Discussion

• Planning approval for a secondary dwelling
  DA2026/0584 at 11A Duke Street, Merrylands was approved after the Panel supported a minimum-lot-size variation under SEPP (Housing) 2021.
  The decision affects housing density and development controls in a residential street.
• Four-storey affordable-housing project
  DA2026/0397 at 57–61 Pegler Avenue, South Granville was approved for 38 apartments, basement parking, demolition and tree removal.
  The project will change a local site and increase the supply of affordable housing in South Granville.
• Delegated planning decisions
  Specified heritage-related applications and some secondary-dwelling applications may be determined by designated Council staff under conditions set by the Panel.
  This may change how quickly and where residents engage with the development-assessment process for eligible applications.

Impacts

• A single-storey secondary dwelling was approved at 11A Duke Street, Merrylands.
• A 38-apartment affordable-housing development was approved at 57–61 Pegler Avenue, South Granville.
• Submitters on the South Granville application are to be notified of the determination.
• Certain eligible planning applications can now be determined under delegated authority by designated Council staff.
• The delegations are to be reviewed in three years.

Places

• 11A Duke Street, Merrylands (development site)
  Approved secondary-dwelling application DA2026/0584.
• Merrylands (suburb)
  Location of the approved secondary dwelling.
• 57–61 Pegler Avenue, South Granville (development site)
  Approved four-storey affordable-housing application DA2026/0397.
• South Granville (suburb)
  Location of the approved 38-apartment development.

Next

• Council to issue the approved development consents subject to the conditions in the assessment reports.
  Following the Panel determinations
• Council to notify people who lodged submissions on DA2026/0397.
  Following determination
• Review the delegated planning functions in conjunction with the future Panel Chair.
  In three years

Extract

Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting 11 November 2026 Minutes of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting held via Zoom on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. PRESENT: Michael Leavey Chairperson Garry Chapman Expert Member David Milliken Expert Member Yakub Comert Community Member IN ATTENDANCE: Michael Lawani Executive Manager City Planning and Development Esra Calim Coordinator Planning Operations Haroula Michael Executive Planner Harley Pearman Executive Planner Bala Sudarson Executive Development Engineer Glenn Dawes Acting Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment Brittany Mould Acting Executive Advisory Planner Carina Szeto Acting Senior Development Advisory Planner Emma Di Rita Se...