State applications & approvals

State significant development is large scale development for which the Minister is the consent authority.  State significant development pursuant to Div 4.1 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) applies to major projects, which can include schools, prisons, manufacturing facilities, and waste management facilities etc. State significant infrastructure pursuant to Div 5.1 of the EP&A Act applies to rail and road, pipelines, ports, and major water supply systems.

Crown development: Crown reserves include town squares, local parks, state heritage sites, community halls, nature reserves, showgrounds, camping areas and coastal lands etc.  We advise Councils in relation to the management of Crown land (whether classified as community land or operational land), including regarding Voluntary Planning Agreements, licences, leases, reclassification of land, and proposed development.

Integrated development not only requires development consent under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, but also the approval of one or more NSW State Government Agencies, pursuant to other legislation.  This includes approvals required pursuant to such legislation as the Fisheries Management Act 1984, Heritage Act 1977, Mining Act 1992, Roads Act 1993, Water Management Act 2000, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

The Independent Planning Commission is the decision-making body for complex and contentious state significant development in NSW.  The Sydney District and Regional Planning Panels are independent bodies introduced in 2009 to strengthen decision-making on regionally significant development applications (defined as having a capital investment value of over $30m) and other planning matters.  The five Sydney District Planning Panels are: Sydney Eastern City, Sydney Central City, Sydney Western City, Sydney North and Sydney South.  The four Regional Planning Panels across NSW are: Hunter and Central Coast, Southern, Northern and Western.