Sydney and Regional Planning Panels were introduced to NSW in 2009 to strengthen decision making on regionally significant development applications and other planning matters.
There are five Sydney Planning Panels and four Regional Planning Panels across NSW. Each panel is an independent body that is not subject to the direction of the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces.
Councils determine, in accordance with the State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 if an application needs to be determined by a Sydney or Regional Planning Panel. All requests to these panels must be submitted through the NSW Planning Portal.
