Development Coordination Authority

Development Coordination Authority (DCA) is your one-stop shop for NSW Government inputs on planning matters.

DCA centralises decision-making and advice previously referred to up to 22 different parts of the NSW Government behind a single front door making the planning system faster and easier to navigate.

For development applications, DCA brings together a team of multi-disciplinary experts who can provide a single, coordinated response on behalf of the NSW Government in just 28 days.

Mid-rise housing at Barker Street, Randwick NSW. Credit: James Grabowski/DPHI

What we do

Low-rise housing at Lardelli Drive, Ryde NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / James Grabowski

New referrals framework

Low- and mid-rise housing at Avenue of Oceania, Newington NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / James Grabowski

Timeframes and fees

Low- and mid-rise housing at Fairwater Boulevard, Blacktown NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / James Grabowski

Submit an enquiry

Regional housing development on the NSW Central Coast. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / Mikey Matthews

Post Consent Support Service

Mixed density housing at Glebe NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / Lisa Madden

Frequently asked questions

Simpler, clearer, quicker

Got a DA that needs NSW Government input? Here's how DCA will make the process simpler, clearer, and quicker.

Key resources

Find key resources such as the SEPP and standard instruments, State Referral Provision, fact sheets, links to other policies and guidelines, and more.

View all key resources

A residential street and surrounding green space at Camden NSW. Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / Lisa Madden

How we help

Whether you're a homeowner, developer, planner, or consent authority, DCA can help make your experience easier, clearer, and more efficient by delivering:

One-stop advice

Combining input from different technical areas of expertise, so you only need to deal with one authority.

Support for councils

Offering a pre-check referral service for local development applications to identify requirements early and avoid delays or duplication.

Faster decisions

Reducing back-and-forth with multiple areas of expertise across NSW Government, to help provide consent authorities with faster input reducing assessment timeframes.

Better coordination

Helping resolve issues related to integrated development, referrals, and approvals – making planning smoother.

Transparent updates

Publishing regular updates on new guidance materials, implementation progress, and our performance.

Track performance of NSW state agencies

Suburban housing construction site at Tallawong NSW. Credit: Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / Sandra Pires

At DCA, we believe that transparency and shared learning help improve the planning system for everyone.

Our reporting services are designed to keep stakeholders informed, highlight progress, and support continuous improvement.

The NSW agency league table is an interactive dashboard monitoring the performance of each NSW Government agency in issuing advice or approvals for proposed development.

Contact us

If you’re assessing a development application and have a question about NSW Government referrals or inputs, submit an enquiry or email us at [email protected]