Community participation plans

We want to make it easier for all members of the community to participate in planning decisions. This results in better outcomes.

Planning authorities, including councils and NSW agencies with key planning approval functions, must have a community participation plan (CPP). The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) requires this.

CPPs set out how the planning authority will engage the public in their decision-making. These principles set the standard.

CPPs must meet the minimum requirements for community participation set out in Schedule 1 of the EP&A Act, but planning authorities may choose to do more.

The EP&A Act also requires planning decision-makers to publicise the reasons for their decisions on key matters and show how they considered community views.

Councils may build their CPPs into the broader community engagement strategies they prepare under local government legislation.

Our CPP

Read our Community Participation Plan (PDF, 1.9 MB) and some of our community engagement case studies.

Notification of decisions

Planning authorities must make the reasons for their planning decisions publicly available. Stakeholders can see how their input, and that of others, was considered. This makes the process more transparent and increases community confidence.

The statement of reasons must be meaningful, reflecting the complexity of the proposed development and setting out how decision-makers considered community views.

Our guidelines for local councils and other consent authorities (PDF, 324 KB) explain the best way to publicise decisions.