Not all development requires consent. Certain projects undertaken by councils, government departments or State
agencies are “development permitted without consent”. Many of these activities are allowed under State
Environmental
Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021. Before work can start, public authorities are required to
assess the environmental impacts of a project. This process is called a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and
should be undertaken in line with the Guidelines for Division 5.1 Assessment.
From 1 July 2022, certain REF documents must be published (e.g. where the project cost is over $5m). This section
allows users to search for and access REFs that have been made publicly available via the NSW Planning Portal (some
REFs may instead be published on the website of the relevant public authority).
Some activities may be exempt from the requirements to publish a REF, where the Planning Secretary has issued a
notice to exempt these activities.
Notices under section 171(6) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021
Lot 3 DP 1239861, Eastern Detention Basin (part Lot 3098 DP 1230014 and part Lot 1097 DP 1182558) and Macarthur Regional Recreation Trail (part Lots 5099 and 5100 DP 1211244)