Parramatta Light Rail - The planning process

The Parramatta Light Rail project was declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure by the Minister for Planning and Environment. 

The assessment process for State significant infrastructure (SSI) is:

• An SSI application is received by the Department.
• The Department prepares Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) which outline matters for consideration in an environmental impact statement (EIS).
• The applicant prepares an EIS to consider the matters raised in SEARs.
• The Department publicly exhibits the EIS and consults with local councils, government agencies, other key stakeholders and the community.
• The Department publishes submissions on its website and asks the applicant to address any concerns or issues raised by the community, councils and government agencies.
• The applicant prepares a formal Response to Submissions Report (RtS), which the Department publishes on its website.
• The Department assesses the merits of the project, including the EIS, all submissions and community feedback, and the RtS.
• The Department prepares a Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Report which describes the Department’s assessment of the application and includes a recommendation to the Minister for Planning about whether the project be approved or rejected.