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Planning Approval Pathways

Regionally Significant Development

Regionally significant development needs to be notified and assessed by a council and then determined by the relevant Planning Panel.

What is regionally significant development?

Regionally significant development is development with large investment value, scale or complexity. This means it needs to be assessed by an independent panel of experts, called planning panels.

Planning panels strengthen the decision-making on regionally significant development applications. These panels have the power to approve or refuse a regionally significant development application.

Regionally significant developments are outlined in Schedule 6 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021, specific sections in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021.

 Regionally significant development includes:

  • development with a capital investment value (CIV) over $30 million
  • council-related development with a CIV over $5 million, lodged by or on behalf of the Crown (State of NSW), private infrastructure and community facilities or eco-tourist facilities
  • designated development involving extractive industries, waste facilities and marinas
  • certain coastal subdivisions
  • development with a CIV between $10 million and $20 million that is referred to the regional panel by the applicant after 120 days.

Regional development does not apply in the City of Sydney Council area.

How do I apply?

Development applications are submitted via the NSW Planning Portal. It is then the council’s responsibility to carry out a proper and professional assessment of a proposal for the regional panel’s determination of the development application. Depending on council policy, this will include the public exhibition of the application and assessment of submissions received.

A public panel meeting is an important part of the determination process for a regional development application. The panel meeting’s purpose is to hear those who wish to express their view on the development application before a decision is made.

Read more about Planning Panels

Last updated: 18/05/2023

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