After exhibiting an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a State significant infrastructure (SSI) project, the department will publish all submissions online and ask the proponent to prepare a submissions report.
Preparing a submissions report
The purpose of the submissions report is to give the proponent an opportunity to respond to the issues raised in submissions, ensure the community gets feedback from the proponent on the issues raised in submissions and to help the decision-maker evaluate the merits of the project.
The proponent must have regard to the State Significant Infrastructure Guidelines - Preparing a Submissions Report (Appendix C) in preparing the response.
The submissions report must provide:
- an analysis of the issues raised in submissions
- a description of what the proponent has done since exhibition to address these issues
- an updated evaluation of the merits of the project incorporating the findings of any further assessment or community engagement.
In preparing the submissions report, the applicant may:
- undertake further community engagement
- undertake further assessment of the impacts of the project
- refine or amend the design of the project (noting that amendments must be documented in a separate amendment report)
- be succinct, easy to understand and give accurate and proper consideration to the issues raised in submissions.
The department may also ask the proponent to respond to the issues raised by agencies. This response should be incorporated into the submissions report.
What happens next?
The proponent must lodge the completed submissions report on the NSW Planning portal. The submissions report is then published on the NSW planning portal.
Changing the application in response to submissions
The proponent can amend the SSI application in response to submissions, with the approval of the Planning Secretary.
For more information view the State Significant Infrastructure Guidelines – Preparing an Amendment Report (Appendix D).
Preferred infrastructure reports
The Planning Secretary may ask the proponent to submit a preferred infrastructure report (PIR) to that outlines proposed changes to the project to minimise its environmental impact or address any other issues raised during the assessment process.
For more information see the State Significant Infrastructure Guidelines - Preparing a Preferred Infrastructure Report (Appendix E).
If the changes to the application are requested by the proponent and the Planning Secretary has requested a PIR, amendments may be included in the PIR to avoid the need for a separate amendment report. These changes should be clearly described and identified as amendments requested by the proponent. This separates them from any changes proposed to minimise environmental impact or deal with any issues raised during the assessment of the application.