Councils in Sydney and Wollongong are set to lose the ability to assess Development Applications worth $5 Million or more as part of new rules to be implemented which require the use of Independent Planning Panels.
Mandatory Referral
Yesterday, the Honourable Anthony Roberts announced that Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels (IHAP) will be mandatory for all Councils in Sydney and Wollongong. These panels are currently voluntarily in use by 15 Sydney Councils and Wollongong Council.
For Development Applications with a value between $5 Million and $30 Million, assessment by the IHAP will be mandatory. Where the value of the development is over $30 Million, the development application is assessed by the Regional Sydney Planning Panel. The threshold for assessment by the RSPP has increased by $10 Million i.e. from $20 Million to $30 Million. [...]
