Development Assessment Best Practice Guide
The Development Assessment Best Practice Guide was released in early 2017.
By 2036, NSW will need to provide homes for another 2.1 million residents with local councils playing a vital role in delivering the required housing.
The development assessment process is a key part of the housing supply chain and impacts how efficiently new housing is delivered.
The guide draws on successful practices used by councils that assist in the timely determination of development applications. It was developed in close collaboration with a number of high growth local councils and draws on their proven processes and procedures.
Since the guide was released, the department has met with 37 councils across regional and metropolitan NSW to discuss their development assessment processes. Many councils site the guide as a useful resource and benchmarking tool.
On 25 May 2018, the Minister for Planning released Your guide to the Development Application process. The guide was designed to assist inexperienced and one-time applicants navigate their way through the development application (DA) process. The guide emphasises the importance of having all information prepared up front to ensure an efficient process, saving time and money and helping councils approve applications faster.
Read the Development Assessment Best Practice Guide (PDF, 1.4 MB).
Five stages to faster, more efficient assessments
Communication and fact finding to improve quality of applications
- Information is available on the NSW Planning Portal
- Applicant talks to and may meet council
Efficient processing aids assessment
- Applications can be lodged at council or soon on the NSW Planning Portal
- Parties acknowledge their responsibilities
- Checked for completeness
- 'Clearing house' identifies issues and assessment stream
- Allocated to an officer
Days 6–15
Levels of assessment reflects impacts of development
- Applicant 'contact date' set
- Site visit
- Legislation checked
- Referrals received
- Directions meeting to resolve issues
- Applicant updated
Days 15–30
- Stop the clock
- 14 days to withdraw incomplete applications or clarify minor issues
- Final assessment
- 14 days to withdraw incomplete applications or clarify minor issues
- Fast track
- Fast track applications to determinations
Days 15–40
Decision made at right level by delegated officer, council or planning panel
- Peer review
- Standard applications determined with 40 days
- Fast track applications determined within 25 days
Contact and send package to client as soon as possible
Process finished.
See the Development Assessment Best Practice Guide (JPG, 247 KB) image. It promotes stages and principles to improve approval times. The guide includes a Development Assessment Best Practice process map. A consolidated version of the process map has been prepared as a ready resource for council officers.
