At Planshop, we provide architectural design, drafting, town planning, project management and on-site architectural presence for homeowners across North Sydney Council, from CBD-adjacent apartments in North Sydney, Crows Nest and St Leonards to harbour-foreshore homes in Kirribilli, McMahons Point, Lavender Bay, Cremorne Point and Waverton.
Led by Nominated Architect Martin Taylor with 20+ years of experience, we work on strata apartment renovations, Inter-War apartment restorations, harbour-foreshore home reconfigurations and contemporary fit-outs across the North Sydney Council area.
Our integrated design-to-construction model means an architect-led team takes your project from first sketch through to final inspection, with daily focus and on-site attendance throughout the build.
Architectural Design and Construction in North Sydney
North Sydney is one of Sydney’s most compact and densely populated council areas. The North Sydney Council LGA covers approximately 11 square kilometres and houses around 69,000 residents across the suburbs of North Sydney, Crows Nest, St Leonards, Cammeray, Cremorne, Cremorne Point, Kirribilli, Kurraba Point, Lavender Bay, McMahons Point, Milsons Point, Neutral Bay, Waverton and Wollstonecraft.
Almost the entire LGA sits within walking distance of the North Sydney CBD or major transport hubs, and the dominant housing typology is the apartment. North Sydney has 43.2% of households earning $3,000 or more per week, well above the Greater Sydney average, and a median resident age of 37 (the youngest of all Northern Sydney LGAs alongside Willoughby). This is a market of working professionals, often in finance, consulting, technology and professional services, who value proximity to the CBD and harbour.
North Sydney is also in the middle of a planning transformation. The St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan, supported by the new Crows Nest Metro station and a series of LEP amendments adopted across North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby councils, is driving substantial mixed-use redevelopment around the precinct. This raises the planning bar for new residential applications and changes the assessment context for renovations in surrounding streets.
Most North Sydney projects fall into one of three categories: apartment renovations and reconfigurations across the LGA’s high-density stock, Inter-War apartment restorations in Kirribilli, McMahons Point and Lavender Bay, or harbour-foreshore home renovations on the steep blocks of Cremorne Point, Kurraba Point, Waverton and McMahons Point. Each demands a different planning approach. This is the work Planshop specialises in. See examples of our apartment and harbour-side work in Our Work.
Why North Sydney Homeowners Choose Planshop
Class 2 apartment and strata expertise
Most North Sydney homes are apartments, which means renovation work sits under the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020. The Act classifies multi-unit residential buildings as Class 2 and requires registered practitioners for design and compliance declarations. We prepare documentation that meets DBP Act requirements, coordinates with your owners corporation, satisfies strata by-laws, and protects you from compliance issues at sale. For finance and professional-services residents whose apartments are part of their long-term wealth strategy, this compliance certainty matters.
Familiarity with the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan
The St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan provides capacity for up to 6,683 new dwellings within the precinct, supported by the new Crows Nest Metro station. North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby councils have all updated their LEPs to reflect the new planning controls. We understand how the precinct framework interacts with North Sydney LEP 2013 and how it affects assessment of renovations and additions in the surrounding streets. Learn more about our town planning services.
Harbour-foreshore and heritage experience
North Sydney contains some of Sydney’s most architecturally distinctive harbour-foreshore residential pockets: Kirribilli with its terraced streetscape opposite the Opera House, McMahons Point looking back at the Harbour Bridge, Lavender Bay, Cremorne Point and Kurraba Point. Many of these properties are heritage-listed or sit within Heritage Conservation Areas under the North Sydney LEP 2013. We prepare Heritage Impact Statements for these projects as part of an integrated planning and design service.
An integrated in-house team
Architect, drafting, town planning and project management all sit within one practice. There is no handover between consultants, no gaps in the documentation, and no finger-pointing when a detail needs resolving. For North Sydney strata projects, where owners corporations expect single-point accountability, this matters more than anywhere else. See our full range of services.
Our Services for North Sydney Projects
Architectural Design
Concept through to construction documentation for apartment renovations, Inter-War apartment restorations, harbour-foreshore home reconfigurations and contemporary fit-outs across North Sydney. Our designs respond to the constraints of strata environments, narrow harbour-foreshore lots, sloping topography and the design expectations of an affluent professional clientele.
Architectural Drafting
Construction-ready drawings prepared to NCC, BASIX and Design and Building Practitioners Act standards, with the level of detail North Sydney Council assessors and owners corporations expect. We produce drawings that builders can price accurately and Class 2 certifiers can sign off on, reducing variations and rework during construction.
Town Planning
Statement of Environmental Effects, Heritage Impact Statements, BASIX certificates, harbour-foreshore variance applications, and Clause 4.6 variation requests when development standards need negotiating. We prepare the planning case upfront so applications move through North Sydney Council assessment without unnecessary requests for additional information.
Project Management
Coordination of structural engineers, certifiers, heritage consultants, acoustic engineers, fire engineers, strata committees and builders from the design phase through to handover. One project manager, one schedule, one budget tracked across the full project lifecycle.
On-Site Architectural Presence
This is what sets Planshop apart. We can be on site throughout construction, not on a fortnightly inspection schedule, but as part of the build team. Using BIMx, we coordinate live with builders and trades on the model itself, resolving detail questions immediately rather than letting them become defects, strata complaints or compliance issues at sign-off.
Working with North Sydney Council
North Sydney Council aims to assess development applications within statutory timeframes of around 40 days, but in practice straightforward residential DAs typically take 12 to 18 weeks once additional information requests, neighbour notifications and Local Planning Panel referrals are factored in. Heritage-listed properties and proposals within Heritage Conservation Areas take longer, often 16 to 24 weeks, and require Heritage Impact Statements assessed against the North Sydney LEP 2013 and the North Sydney DCP.
Common DA challenges in North Sydney include:
- Class 2 building requirements: most North Sydney apartment renovation work must be designed, certified and built by registered practitioners under the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020. Documentation requirements are significantly more demanding than for standalone houses.
- Strata and owners corporation approvals: renovation work affecting common property requires owners corporation consent in addition to any Council approval. Major renovations typically need a special resolution at a general meeting.
- Harbour-foreshore controls: the Sydney Harbour Foreshore SEPP and North Sydney DCP impose strict controls on developments at Kirribilli, McMahons Point, Lavender Bay, Cremorne Point and Kurraba Point, affecting setbacks, building bulk and view-sharing.
- Heritage Conservation Areas: Kirribilli, McMahons Point, Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Wollstonecraft and parts of Crows Nest contain HCAs with controls on alterations and additions.
- St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan: applications in or near the precinct must consider the updated LEP and DCP controls flowing from the 2036 Plan, including height, density and design quality benchmarks.
- Acoustic, fire and waterproofing compliance: apartment renovations must meet AS 3740 waterproofing, BCA acoustic separation and fire compartmentation standards, with certificates required at handover.
We prepare every application knowing how North Sydney Council assesses it, which avoids the most common cause of delay, that is, applications that get sent back for additional information.
Common Project Types in North Sydney
- Apartment renovations and reconfigurations: across the LGA’s high-density stock in North Sydney, Neutral Bay, Crows Nest, Cammeray and Wollstonecraft, including home-office conversions, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, and acoustic improvements.
- Inter-War apartment restorations: Art Deco and Inter-War apartment buildings in Kirribilli, McMahons Point, Lavender Bay and Neutral Bay, working within heritage controls and original-fabric sensitivities.
- Harbour-foreshore home renovations: freestanding and semi-detached homes on the steep blocks of Cremorne Point, Kurraba Point, Waverton, McMahons Point and Milsons Point, addressing view orientation and foreshore controls.
- Heritage terrace and semi renovations: in Kirribilli, Neutral Bay and Wollstonecraft, restoring period detail while opening rear living spaces for contemporary use.
- Strata common property upgrades: lobby, common area and facade improvements for owners corporations across the precinct’s apartment stock.
- Commercial and mixed-use fit-outs: small-scale residential and commercial combinations in the North Sydney and Crows Nest CBD.
Browse Our Work for completed examples across these project types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need council approval to renovate my North Sydney apartment?
Not always. Many internal apartment renovations qualify as exempt development if you are not altering external walls, structure, or extending plumbing beyond existing points. Cosmetic work such as paint, flooring and fixtures generally does not require council approval but may still require owners corporation consent. Anything affecting structure, waterproofing, acoustic separation, fire ratings or external appearance typically requires a DA or Complying Development Certificate from North Sydney Council, plus strata approval. We assess the approval pathway at the first consultation.
How long does a North Sydney Council DA typically take?
Statutory timeframe is around 40 days, but realistic timeframes are 12 to 18 weeks for standard residential DAs and 16 to 24 weeks for heritage-listed properties, Heritage Conservation Area applications or proposals requiring Local Planning Panel determination. Timeframes extend when Council requests additional information, which is the single most common cause of delay. A well-prepared application moves through assessment significantly faster than one missing supporting documentation.
What is the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan and how does it affect my project?
The St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan is a NSW state-led precinct framework supporting up to 6,683 new dwellings around the new Crows Nest Metro station. In 2024 the North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby LEPs were amended to reflect the new controls. If your property is within the precinct or in surrounding streets affected by the new height, density and design controls, your application is assessed against this updated framework. We confirm the applicable controls at the first consultation.
What does it cost to renovate an apartment or home in North Sydney?
Construction costs for North Sydney apartment renovations typically run from $5,000 to $8,500 per square metre as of 2026, depending on finish level, strata access constraints, and the level of acoustic and waterproofing work required. Harbour-foreshore home renovations and Inter-War apartment restorations vary more widely with heritage complexity and access. Architect, drafting and planning fees on a typical $400,000 to $1.5M project traditionally sit at around 10 to 12% of construction cost when delivered as an integrated service with on-site roles through construction included.
We however base our fees on a stage-based approach to be highly competitive and challenge the above, adding transparency and client optioneering to target your investment exactly where you need it. Use our ‘GET A QUOTE’ service to find out more.
Can Planshop help with a heritage harbour-foreshore renovation in Kirribilli or McMahons Point?
Yes. Heritage harbour-foreshore work is one of our core service areas in North Sydney. We prepare Heritage Impact Statements that address the building’s contributory status, design alterations and additions that respect the streetscape, harbour views and significant fabric, and coordinate with North Sydney Council’s heritage planners through the assessment process. Martin Taylor and the team can be on site throughout construction to manage the unpredictable conditions typical of pre-war buildings on steep harbour-foreshore sites.
What is on-site architectural presence and why does it matter?
On-site architectural presence means the architect remains involved through construction rather than simply handing the project to a builder after DA approval. For Class 2 apartment work and harbour-foreshore heritage projects this matters because compliance, acoustic performance and finish quality are determined by decisions made during the build. At Planshop, Martin Taylor and the team can be on site throughout construction, coordinating with trades and resolving issues as they arise.
Get Started
If you’re planning an apartment renovation, heritage restoration or harbour-foreshore home project in North Sydney, the first step is a consultation with Martin Taylor. We’ll review your property, identify the planning, heritage and strata controls that apply, and outline a realistic scope, timeframe and budget before any drawings are produced. Get in touch with Planshop to arrange your initial consultation, or read more about our architectural design services and on-site architectural presence.