The department ran a technical assurance panel (TAP) pilot program from October 2020 to September 2022 to test a new way of state agencies, councils and landowners working together to undertake strategic investigations for precincts.
The TAP program aimed to identify– and require the proponent to address – key local, state and strategic issues, which may then lead to the lodgement of a formal rezoning proposal.
This would enable clearer decision-making, a stronger appreciation of public benefit, better outcomes, and give the community confidence that important issues have been thoroughly addressed before rezoning applications are lodged.
The TAP pilot program has concluded in 2 precincts in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area – Appin and Gilead. The panel consisted of representatives from government agencies, service providers and local councils. They provided insight into community issues, infrastructure needs and opportunities and constraints for development.
The workshops were chaired by the department and had senior representation from:
- Environment and Heritage
- Government Architect NSW
- Sydney Water
- Transport for NSW
- Wollondilly Shire and Campbelltown City councils
- Other agencies such as the Rural Fire Service and Heritage NSW
We led the forum of public agencies and the proponents. The aim was to resolve complex planning issues and provide a recommended roadmap to transparently resolve key issues upfront.
The proponents were not involved in formal deliberations or the formulation of recommendations to government.
Under the pilot program, the TAP workshops ensured collaboration and examination of important issues including:
- protecting koala corridors and providing habitat revegetation
- implementing the recommendations of the Chief Scientist and Engineer report, Advice on the protection of the Campbelltown koala population
- alignment of strategic planning to the draft Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan
- adoption of the Government Architect’s Connecting with Country Framework
- alignment of planning outcomes with infrastructure.
We thank Campbelltown and Wollondilly councils and agencies for their participation in the pilot program.
These final TAP outcomes and recommendations have been provided to the proponents so they can update their proposals in preparation for the statutory process:
Note: Any assurance to proceed with a rezoning application is not an approval and does not change the usual rezoning assessment process.
Technical assurance panel pilot review
Our review of the pilot program discusses how the TAP process can be applied to other sites: