Independent Retail Expert Advisory Committee

In 2016, the NSW Government appointed an independent committee, the Retail Expert Advisory Committee (REAC), to inquire into and provide advice on appropriate reforms to improve the NSW planning system for retailing.

The Committee included the NSW Chief Planner, Gary White of the Department of Planning and Environment; Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, Patricia Forsythe and Dan Keary, Dan Keary Urban Planning. The Committee was supported and guided by the experience and expertise of the retail sector.

The REAC has now finalised its report to Government.

On 17 October 2017, the NSW Minister for Planning, the Hon. Anthony Roberts, accepted the recommendations in the REAC Independent Recommendations Report.

Read the REAC Report

The REAC Independent Report has made five recommendations to the NSW Government on how the planning system can be improved to support retail in NSW, including:

• Develop a state-wide retail planning policy,
• Consider retail supply and demand in strategic plans,
• Change the Standard Instrument Local Environmental Plan,
• Improve assessment processes, and
• Provide clearer planning guidance.

The Department will be responding to each of the recommendations in due course.