Release summary – 1 May 2026

This release includes:

• new amendment request functionality for the development application services (Council and State)
• minor changes to the Activation precinct certificate service, Development application services (Council and State) and Major Projects Portal
• enhancements to the BASIX and Controlled activity approval services.

There are also some technical updates and fixes. Refer to each section below to understand the changes.

Development application (Council and State) services

This release includes the introduction of new functionality to support an applicant requesting an amendment to their development or modification application under sections 37 and 113 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021. This functionality was co-designed with NSW Councils.

• Applicants can select ‘Request amendment’ from the ‘Actions’ menu of the related development or modification application after lodgement and before the related application has been determined. Once requested, a new request will be created with reference starting with ‘AMDR’.
• Once the amendment request is submitted:
  • a system generated amendment request document will be generated. This will appear in the ‘Documents’ tab within the amendment request and the related development or modification application. This can be viewed by the applicant and the consent authority
  • the applicant and consent authority will receive email notification when the amendment request is submitted, cancelled or withdrawn
  • the consent authority will have the option to ‘Request additional info’ to support the request. When this occurs the amendment request status changes to ‘Additional information requested’
  • the applicant and consent authority will receive email notification of additional information request and when a response has been provided
  • applicants can respond to additional information request, and when they do the status of the amendment request will change back to ‘Under consideration’.
• Applicants can cancel the amendment request prior to submission and can withdraw the request after submission. The consent authority can withdraw the amendment request on the applicants’ behalf after submission.
• The consent authority can approve or reject an application to amend a development or modification application.
• Applicants and consent authority will receive an email notification when the outcome of the amendment request has been input. This notification will also be sent to agencies that have an open or closed concurrence and referral request, and to the Planning Panel Secretariat if relevant.
• When the amendment request is approved as minor:
  • the consent authority can provide comments and upload supporting documents when entering the outcome. A new document category of ‘Response to request for amendment’ has been implemented to support this functionality
  • the consent authority must use the ‘Edit application details’ functionality to amend the related development or modification application details to reflect the approved amendment request.
• When the amendment request is approved as non-minor:
  • the development application will revert to the ‘Preliminary assessment’ screen. All consent authority entered fields will be editable. The consent authority can create a new concurrence and referral request and exhibition process for the amended application
  • the consent authority can provide comments and upload supporting documents when entering the outcome. A new document category of ‘Response to request for amendment’ has been implemented to support this functionality
  • the consent authority must use the ‘Edit application details’ functionality to amend the related development or modification application details to reflect the approved amendment request
  • any existing contribution case (CON) will be cancelled, and a new ‘CON’ case will be created
  • the ‘Application lodged’ date will update to the ‘Amendment request submitted’ date in the ‘Amendment details’ tab within the amendment request and the ‘Lodgement Details’ section of the ‘Application details’ and ‘Analytics’ tabs in the related development or modification application
  • the lodgement date used for council league tables is updated to the ‘Amendment request submitted’ date. For development applications with multiple approved non-minor amendments, the council league tables will use the most recent revised lodgement date to calculate the assessment days. The original lodgement date will be retained and used for the calculation of lodgement days
  • the updated lodgement date will be populated on the BASIX Alterations and Additions application. Validation for revision will be based on original lodgement date as it was already lodged as part of the development application.
• When rejecting the request:
  • the consent authority must add information in the ‘Reason for rejection’ section. A new document category ‘Response to request for amendment’ is available for selection by the consent authority if uploading documents to support this outcome.
• Once the related development or modification application is determined, any open amendment requests and related additional information cases will automatically close.
• If the related development or modification application has been referred to the Planning Panel, and that application has been determined by the Planning Panel, an applicant cannot request an amendment.
• If the related development or modification application has been referred to the Planning Panel, and that application is under consideration, the consent authority must liaise with the relevant Planning Panel outside of the Portal and enter the amendment review request outcome on the Planning Panels’ behalf into the NSW Planning Portal.

Activation Precinct Certificate service

• In the Activation Precinct Certificate application commencement screen, there will be a warning message when the site address does not fall within the defined precinct spatial areas. The message will read:
  ‘The site is not in a Special Activation Precinct. A new Activation Precinct Certificate application cannot be submitted for this site, select ‘Cancel’ to close the application. To ‘Request to Modify’ a previously issued Activation Precinct Certificate, select ‘Submit’ to continue the application.’
• Applicants cannot progress an Activation precinct certificate application when the site address does not fall within the defined precinct spatial areas. There will be an error message on commencement and review screens:
  ‘The site is not in a Special Activation Precinct. A new Activation Precinct Certificate application cannot be submitted for this site, select ‘Close’ to exit this application.’.
• Introduction of 13 additional referral agencies and councils for selection by Regional Growth NSW Development Corporation (RGDC) users on the ‘Initiate a referral request’ screen.
• Minor updates to 7 system generated emails to reflect legislation reference changes.

Concurrence and referral service

The modification application type selected on the related modification application will be displayed on the concurrence and referral request. That is: New modification types introduced as part of Planning Reforms will only be shown on concurrence and referral requests where the application was submitted after 20 March 2026.

Development application (Council) service

• In the ‘Online DA’ service, when an applicant enters an address that falls within a defined activation precinct area, they will be advised to create their development application via the ‘State DA’ service. The error message displayed reads:
  ‘The site is in a Special Activation Precinct and requires a State Development Application. To lodge a State Development Application, create a new Development Application, enter the site of development on the first screen and the system will automatically select a State Development Application or select ‘Create new State DA’ from the ‘Actions’ dropdown menu.’.
• When an applicant started their ‘Review of determination’ application prior to 20 March 2026, and they entered a PAN reference number that was determined more than 6 months ago, they will be unable to submit the application. An error message will be displayed:
  ‘This application was determined over six months ago and a request to review the determination is not available. Select the 'modification' application type if you want to request a modification to your development application, or select 'development application' to start a new application.’.

Development application (State) service

• In the ‘State DA’ service, when an applicant enters an address that falls within a defined activation precinct area, the application will be automatically assigned to the Regional Growth Development Corporation for review and assessment. The information message displayed reads:
  ‘The site is in a Special Activation Precinct. Applications for sites in this area are assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.’.
• When an applicant indicates they are applying for a modification application, the wording of the options for the question ‘What type of modification application is requested?’ on the ‘Application details’ screen are changed to ‘Modification involving minor error, misdescription, or miscalculation or modifications with no environmental impact – Section 4.55(1)’.
• New help text under the ‘Modification type’ heading: ‘Modifications of existing applications are allowed under sections 4.55 or 4.56 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. If the proposal changes too much, a new development application must be submitted.'
• The system generated ‘Pre-DA form’ has been updated to show the new modification type.
• Introduction of warning message on the ‘Preliminary assessment’, ‘Final assessment’ and ‘Capture determination’ screens to notify consent authorities that a section 4.55(1) modification application must be determined within 14 days. The warning banner is as follows: ‘A minor modification application must be determined within 14 days. You must determine this application by [dd/mm/yyyy]. After this date, the modification application cannot be refused. If the last day of the 14-day period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or bank holiday, the determination date is automatically extended to the next business day. This timeframe does not apply to an application which seeks to modify a housing and productivity contribution condition, unless the proposed modification has been approved by the Minister’.

Major Projects

The following changes were made to the Major Projects service as part of this release to support Planning System Reforms.

• For a State Significant Development (SSD) modification under section 4.55(1) a new email notification to the relevant director and assessing officer will be sent 1 day prior to the determination deadline advising that the determination period will end the following day.
• When assessing an SSD modification under section 4.55(1), assessing officers can only create a minor request for information (RFI). Where a major request for information (RFI) was previously created for an application, the existing request for information (RFI) will continue to follow existing workflow.
• Assessing officers will have an internal KPI of 12 days to assess section 4.55(1) modification applications. Directors will have an internal KPI of 2 days to approve or refuse section 4.55(1) modification applications at the ‘Recommendation stage’.
• For modification applications where the proponent selects Section 4.56 as the modification type, the labels displayed on assessing officer screens at completeness check will now align with the labels used at the time the application was submitted. Applications submitted before 21 March 2026 will continue to display the old labels on assessing officer screens, and applications submitted on or after 21 March 2026 will display the new labels.
• For SSD modifications under section 4.55(1) the banner displayed from assessment through to determination has been updated to remove the word ‘date’.
• The banner displayed when creating a request for information (RFI) for SSD modifications under section 4.55(1) has been removed to align with the minor modification assessment process.

Following consultation with stakeholders, this release includes enhancements to the services below.

BASIX service

• Applicants can retain the data entered when switching between ‘DIY’, ‘Simulation method’ and ‘Passive House standard’ assessment methods for a 'new homes' BASIX application. This applies to single dwelling and multi dwelling applications.
• Applicants can select from different grades of concrete as an internal wall type in the ‘Low emissions’ field when ‘Concrete’ is selected in the ‘Construction type’ field of a 'new homes' BASIX application. This applies to single dwelling and multi dwelling applications.
• Applicants can select ‘5 star (> 4.5 but <= 6 L/min)’ for field ‘Water rating of showerheads’, if the water consumption is between 4.5 and 6 litres per minute. This applies to single dwelling and multi dwelling applications.
• Applicants can select more glazing options with low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) values for ‘Frame and glass type’ field in an ‘Alterations and Additions’ BASIX application.
• Applicants can select ventilation system types for ‘Bathroom exhaust’, ‘Kitchen exhaust’ and ‘Laundry exhaust’ without a ‘roof’ ventilation option in a 'new homes' BASIX application. This applies to single dwelling and multi dwelling applications, whilst aligning with the NCC 2022 condensation management requirements.
• Upgrade from version 4.03 to 4.04 for all BASIX application types. Applicants can accommodate the version upgrade without affecting older cases. Previous cases will remain in the version they were created in.
• In a “new homes” BASIX multi-dwelling application, applicants will have clearer guidance on how to complete the materials section if the application involves separate dwellings as well as shared common areas in separate buildings. Applicants can select ‘Unit and other buildings – All’ from the dropdown values on the relevant screen. Applies to multi dwelling applications only, excluding revised certificates. This change does not apply to revised certificates for multi dwelling applications.
• Applicants can select the ‘Green Square Town Centre’ option for the ‘Reticulated alternative water supply’ field if the application address is under postcode 2015. This applies to single dwelling applications and multi dwelling applications.
• Applicants can see the number of ‘straw-bale panels’ on their ‘new homes’ BASIX Certificates when they select this as an option in the ‘Construction type’ field.
• BASIX help and information links have been reviewed and updated across the service.
• Applicants must tick a compulsory check box to confirm that the information they have provided (including any NatHERS Assessor information if applicable) is true and correct before generating a BASIX Certificate. Providing incorrect and/or false information is a breach of the BASIX Terms and Conditions, which may result in compliance action by the Department. This applies to all BASIX application types.
• BASIX applicants can request increases to default limits on dwelling numbers in multi-dwelling application, up to an overall limit of 1000 dwellings across all dwelling types (single, multi and unit buildings). Help text has been added to assist users with this request.
• Help text has been added to display the limits that apply to the number of dwellings applicants can add for each dwelling type and the overall limit.
• For all BASIX application types, applications that are already in progress will be able to proceed without impacting the expected dropdown values and calculation scores carried over from older versions of the BASIX service.
• The BASIX Report and BASIX Certificate will display how many photovoltaic (PV) panel groups were in the alternative energy section of the 'new homes' BASIX multi-dwelling application. This applies to multi dwelling applications only, excluding revised certificates.
• The BASIX Report and BASIX Certificate for 'new homes' BASIX applications will display the thermal performance method used for assessment (DIY, Simulation or Passive House Standard). This applies to single dwelling and multi dwelling applications.
• The BASIX Report and BASIX Certificate will display the correct selection for Bathroom exhaust when “individual fan, ducted to façade” is selected. This applies to single dwelling applications only.
• BASIX Administrator users will be able to increase the dwelling number limits across all dwelling types in BASIX multi-dwelling applications, up to an overall limit of 1,000 dwellings.
• BASIX Administrator users can search for projects by creation date.

Controlled activity approvals service

The character limit for the email address input in field ‘Applicant email in CAA approval’, has been increased from 50 to 255 characters. This update will allow users to enter longer, organisation-specific email addresses without encountering input restrictions.

• Email notifications sent to the applicant to confirm their submission for the exhibition of a development application, has been updated to populate the name of the consent authority name in the body of the email. This change has been made in the Online DA and State DA services.
• When the nominated developer initiates an occupation certificate, the data from the related development application or complying development certificate will populate the request.
• Withdrawn subdivision certificate referral cases will now appear in the ‘Completed Workbasket’.

Updates have been made to the Application Programming Interface (API) to support recent enhancements to the development application (online and state) services. These updates should be included in councils’ next scheduled API upgrade.

There are three new APIs to support the introduction of the amendment functionality in this release.

• CreateAmendment’: Initiates a new amendment request for an existing application and transfers the amendment data from the NSW Planning Portal to council systems.
• ‘UpdateAmendment’: Transfers updates to amendment details during the assessment process, ensuring both systems remain in sync.
• ‘ReviewAmendment’: Enables councils to review and record assessment outcomes, with decisions communicated back to the NSW Planning Portal.

The following APIs are reused and enhanced to support amendment-related use cases.

• ‘UpdateDA’ and ‘UpdateStateDA’: Allows updates to lodgement dates during the process ensuring both systems remain in sync.
• ‘Withdraw’: Extended to allow withdrawal of amendment requests, in addition to the existing standard application withdrawals.
• ‘ReqAddInfo’: Reused to request further information from applicants specifically for amendment cases.
• ‘CloseAICase’: Extended to support closure of amendment-related additional information cases.
• UpdateAdditonalInfo: Reused to support ‘provide additional information’ operation by applicant.

Note: All these changes will be made to the Online DA service v2 API and Online State DA service v1 API.

The step-by-step guides below were updated or created this month. Clicking on a link will open the guide as a PDF.

Visit the Support hub for more step-by-step guides, videos, training tools and other useful resources.

The Department offers free training for NSW Planning Portal users. Training that is related to this release includes: