Proposed changes to the Community Participation Plan
The Department’s Community Participation Plan sets out the mandatory requirements on planning matters, including consultation timeframes and community participation objectives.
In June 2025, we proposed updates to change the minimum public exhibition period to 14 days for relevant residential State significant development applications. The changes were on exhibition from 19 June 2025 until 17 July 2025.
Following consultation, the Department has updated its Community Participation Plan. Relevant residential State significant development applications now require a minimum 14-day exhibition period, with flexibility to extend where appropriate.
This includes:
- Development declared State significant development under section 4.36(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 that includes residential accommodation (e.g. projects recommended by the Housing Delivery Authority).
- Housing developments that meet the criteria under schedule 1 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021 for:
- Housing development carried out by certain public authorities
- In-fill affordable housing
- Build-to-rent housing, or
- Seniors housing.
- Developments in accelerated Transport Oriented Development precincts as specified in schedule 2 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021.
The 14-day minimum also applies to relevant residential State significant development applications that rely on a concurrent rezoning assessed by the Department.
A 28-day minimum exhibition period continues to apply to all other State significant development applications.
For more information and to view the updated Community Participation Plan, visit the Department's website.