Release notes – 12 December 2025

This release includes stakeholder requested enhancements to the development application service.

Upload documents after determination of a development application

In August and September 2024, the Department ran a series of workshops with NSW councils to identify opportunities for enhancements to the existing digital services. The items were reviewed and prioritised, also with councils. The Department made the below enhancements as a result. 

• New option ‘Upload document’ in the ‘Actions’ menu for council users within the development application service.
• Council users can upload an approved document or plan or replace an incorrectly uploaded document or plan, up to 14 calendar days after it has been determined within the NSW Planning Portal using the ‘Upload document’ functionality.
• Council can upload Land and Environment Court decisions after a development application has been determined within the NSW Planning Portal using the ‘Upload document’ functionality.
• When a council’s reason for upload is ‘Land and Environment Court Decision’, they will need to input the ‘Land and Environment Court case number’ (mandatory field).
• Council can mark documents as ‘Sensitive’ and/or ‘Superseded’ after an application has been determined.
• New tab in review harness, ‘Post determination actions’, displayed after council uses the ‘Upload document’ functionality. This contains information including the upload date and time, who performed the upload, the reason for upload and any comments.
• Email notification sent to applicant, and any Agency that provided a concurrence and referral response, when a council uploads a document using the ‘Upload document’ functionality.

Note: This functionality was also introduced in the State DA service.

• ‘Georges River Local Environmental Plan’ added to ‘Title of local environmental plan’ drop down on ‘Submission details’ screen of the Online Submission System service.
• Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) bank details updated in ‘Request for security bond payment’ email notification when a security bond payment for Controlled Activity Approval Amendment application is requested by DCCEEW.
• When ‘Grant Agency Access’ was selected from the dropdown on the ‘Referrals’ screen in the Planning Proposals service, options are visible for selection.
• Introduction of 'eye icon' within the ‘reset password’ field on the ‘Forgot password’ screen that allows users to view the password they have entered. Helping to prevent input errors when entering and confirming new password.