Local Planning Panels

In Greater Sydney, local planning panels (LPPs) determine development applications on behalf of councils where:

• there is concern that a development assessment may be compromised – such projects usually have an estimated development cost of $5 million to $30 million
• proposed projects receive a high number of complaints
• proposed projects are sensitive; for example, they involve the demolition of heritage buildings or the destruction of other community assets
• projects have strategic importance to the state.

LPPs consist of a chair and 2 independent experts appointed by a council, plus a community representative. The independent experts come from a pool of independent, qualified people who have been endorsed by a minister.

Independent experts must have qualifications in any of these fields:

• architecture
• economics
• engineering
• government and public administration.
• heritage
• law
• planning
• the environment
• tourism
• traffic and transport
• urban design

The best place to start for most complaints about LPPs is with your council.

The NSW Ombudsman can also deal with grievances.

The department can’t deal with complaints directly but we can direct them to an authority for response and resolution. We can also review the way your local council has handled your complaint.

If you have allegations of corrupt conduct, misconduct or serious waste of resources, contact:

• Audit Office of NSW
• Independent Commission Against Corruption
• NSW Ombudsman.

Panel expert members and chairs are selected from a pool of experts and chairs appointed by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for a 3-year term.

The current term is from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.

The Minister has approved the list of chairs, alternate chairs and experts, and has provided this to councils. These lists are valid from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027.

An updated ministerial direction Local Planning Panels Direction (PDF, 334 KB) has been issued extending the direction to City of Sydney.

For any questions on the LPP pool recruitment process, email the Planning Panels Team on [email protected]