A specific assessment system has been created in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act to consider projects classed as State significant development (SSD).
A range of development types such as mines and manufacturing plants as well as warehousing, waste, energy, tourist, education and hospital facilities are considered to be SSD if they are over a certain size or located in a sensitive environmental area.
Some projects may also be considered SSD because they are located in precincts regarded as important by the NSW Government, including Sydney Olympic Park, Redfern-Waterloo and Barangaroo.
A full list of SSD development types and specified sites can be found in Schedules 1 and 2 of the State and Regional Development SEPP.
Development that is not identified in Schedule 1 or 2 of the SEPP may be declared to be SSD by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure after obtaining, and making publicly available, advice from the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) as to the State or regional planning significance of the proposed development.
Following consultation with key industry stakeholders, the Minister has endorsed a
Guideline which sets out how a request can be made to declare a development proposal as SSD. The Guideline also provides further information about matters that are relevant in deciding whether a proposal is of State or regional planning significance. The Minister has sent a
request to the PAC to consider these matters when providing advice on the planning significance of development proposed to be declared as SSD. SSD projects are assessed by the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure, with input sought from local government, other NSW Government agencies and the community as part of the assessment process.
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