At Planshop, we provide architectural design, drafting, town planning, project management and on-site architectural supervision for homeowners across Sydney City, from CBD apartments and Pyrmont towers to Surry Hills terraces and Darlinghurst warehouses.
Led by Nominated Architect Martin Taylor with 20+ years of experience, we work on strata apartment renovations, heritage terrace restorations, warehouse conversions and contemporary fit-outs across the City of Sydney local government 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 Sydney City
Sydney City’s housing stock is overwhelmingly apartment-based. Around 81% of private dwellings are in multi-storey apartment buildings, with just over 16% terrace houses. This concentration of strata living, combined with one of the largest collections of heritage building stock in Australia, makes Sydney City a uniquely demanding environment for architectural work.
The City of Sydney covers 75 heritage conservation areas containing more than 22,000 buildings, the majority of them Victorian and Federation terraces in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Paddington, Potts Point, Pyrmont and Ultimo. Almost 90% of buildings within these conservation areas date from the Victorian or Federation periods. The CBD itself houses around 22,000 residents across high-density apartment buildings, while the surrounding inner suburbs combine tightly packed terraces, converted warehouses and a growing stock of premium apartment towers in Barangaroo, Darling Square and Green Square.
Most Sydney City projects fall into one of three categories: full apartment renovations coordinated with strata and owners corporations, heritage terrace restorations within conservation areas, or warehouse and commercial-to-residential conversions. Each demands a different planning approach, different documentation, and different on-site coordination. This is the work Planshop specialises in.
Why Sydney City Homeowners Choose Planshop
Class 2 building expertise and strata coordination
Sydney City apartment renovations sit under the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, which 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. We’ve worked through enough strata approval processes to know what your owners corporation will ask before they ask it.
City of Sydney heritage and DA experience
The City of Sydney has delegated authority from the Heritage Council of NSW for a wide range of heritage matters, which means the Council both administers and assesses heritage applications within its local government area. We’ve prepared and lodged DAs across the City of Sydney covering CBD apartments, terraces in conservation areas, and adaptive re-use projects. We understand how Council’s heritage planners assess contributory, neutral and detracting buildings, and we prepare Heritage Impact Statements that respond to the specific assessment criteria in the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 and Sydney DCP 2012.
An integrated in-house team
Architect, drafting, town planning and project management all sit within one practice. There’s no handover between consultants, no gaps in the documentation, and no finger-pointing when a detail needs resolving. For Sydney City strata projects, where owners corporations frequently want a single point of accountability, this matters more than anywhere else.
Local knowledge of CBD and inner-city building stock
Sydney City building stock is technically demanding. Heritage terraces hide unexpected structural conditions. Apartments require acoustic, waterproofing and fire separation compliance that’s invisible until it isn’t. Warehouse conversions raise change-of-use planning questions that catch most architects off guard. We’ve worked on enough CBD and inner-city projects to anticipate these issues at the design stage rather than discover them during construction.
Our Services for Sydney City Projects
Architectural Design
Concept through to construction documentation for apartment renovations, heritage terrace restorations, warehouse conversions and contemporary new builds across Sydney City. Our designs respond to the constraints of strata environments: limited service penetrations, acoustic separation, structural restrictions, and the demands of heritage controls that govern external fabric, streetscape and significant interior features.
Architectural Drafting
Construction-ready drawings prepared to NCC, BASIX and Design and Building Practitioners Act standards, with the level of detail City of Sydney assessors and owners corporations expect. We produce drawings that builders can actually price 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, change-of-use applications, and Clause 4.6 variation requests when development standards need negotiating. We prepare the planning case upfront so applications move through City of Sydney 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 Supervision
This is what sets Planshop apart. We’re 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 the City of Sydney
The City of Sydney 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 public exhibition periods are factored in. Heritage-listed properties and proposals within Heritage Conservation Areas take longer (often 16 to 26 weeks) and require Heritage Impact Statements assessed against the Sydney LEP 2012 and the Sydney DCP 2012.
Common DA challenges in Sydney City include:
- Heritage Conservation Area controls: covering large parts of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Paddington, Potts Point, Pyrmont, Ultimo and Woolloomooloo. Properties within these areas are classified as contributory, neutral or detracting under the Sydney DCP, with each classification carrying different controls on alterations and additions.
- Class 2 building requirements: all multi-unit residential 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 special resolution at a general meeting.
- Acoustic, fire and waterproofing compliance: apartment renovations must meet AS 3740 waterproofing, BCA acoustic separation, and fire compartmentation standards, with certificates required at handover.
- Change-of-use applications: warehouse and commercial-to-residential conversions in areas like Surry Hills and Ultimo require change-of-use approvals alongside the design DA.
We prepare every application knowing how the City of Sydney assesses it, which avoids the most common cause of delay, that is, applications that get sent back for additional information.
Common Project Types in Sydney City
- Apartment renovations: full reconfigurations of CBD, Pyrmont, Barangaroo and Darling Square apartments, including kitchens, bathrooms, study and second-bedroom conversions, and acoustic flooring upgrades.
- Heritage terrace restorations: Victorian and Federation terraces in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and Paddington, restoring original fabric while opening rear living spaces for modern use.
- Warehouse conversions: adaptive re-use of former industrial and commercial buildings in Surry Hills, Ultimo, Pyrmont and Chippendale as residential lofts or mixed-use developments.
- Rooftop additions: third-storey and rooftop terrace additions on inner-city terraces and warehouses, working within heritage and overshadowing controls.
- Strata common property upgrades: lobby, common area and facade improvements for owners corporations.
- Commercial fit-outs and small-scale mixed-use: ground-floor retail and upper-level residential combinations in CBD-fringe locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need council approval to renovate my Sydney City apartment?
Not always. Many internal apartment renovations qualify as exempt development if you’re not altering external walls, structure, or extending plumbing beyond existing points. Cosmetic work such as paint, flooring and fixtures generally doesn’t 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 the City of Sydney, plus strata approval. We assess the approval pathway at the first consultation.
How long does a City of Sydney DA typically take?
Statutory timeframe is around 40 days, but realistic timeframes are 12 to 18 weeks for standard residential DAs and 16 to 26 weeks for heritage-listed properties, 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, comprising Statement of Environmental Effects, drawings, BASIX certificate, Heritage Impact Statement, and acoustic and fire reports where required, moves through assessment significantly faster.
What is Class 2 certification and does it apply to my renovation?
Class 2 under the National Construction Code refers to multi-unit residential buildings, including apartments and strata complexes. The NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 requires that design, construction and compliance work on Class 2 buildings be performed by registered practitioners, with design compliance declarations lodged at key stages. If you’re renovating an apartment in Sydney City, your architect, builder and certifier must all be appropriately registered, and the documentation requirements are more demanding than for standalone houses.
What does it cost to renovate an apartment or terrace in Sydney City?
Construction costs for full Sydney City 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. Heritage terrace renovations in Surry Hills or Darlinghurst typically run $4,500 to $8,000 per square metre. Architect, drafting and planning fees on a typical $600,000 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.
How does strata approval work alongside council approval?
Strata and council approvals are separate processes that run in parallel. Owners corporation consent is required for any work affecting common property such as structural walls, floors, ceilings, plumbing risers and building facade. Minor cosmetic work typically needs committee approval (1 to 2 weeks). Major renovations affecting common property usually require a special resolution at a general meeting (4 to 6 weeks). Council DA approval addresses planning, heritage, and compliance matters. Both approvals must be in place before construction commences, and we coordinate both pathways from the design stage.
Can Planshop help with a heritage terrace renovation in Surry Hills or Darlinghurst?
Yes. Heritage terrace work in Sydney City’s conservation areas is one of our core service areas. We prepare Heritage Impact Statements that address the building’s contributory status, design alterations and additions that respect the streetscape and significant fabric, and coordinate with the City of Sydney’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 100+ year old buildings.
Get Started
If you’re planning an apartment renovation, heritage terrace restoration or new build in Sydney City, 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 engagement.