NSW Government
Planning

Faster assessments for State significant development housing applications

A modern apartment building with several cars parked along a tree-lined street. Credit: Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / Joshua Tredinnick
 

The Department is speeding up the assessment of housing applications under the State significant development (SSD) pathways. The aim is to complete assessments within an average of 275 days from the time an application is lodged to when a determination is made or referred to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) or Minister for Planning.

The Guide to Faster Assessments for SSD Housing Applications (PDF, 455 KB) outlines how the Department will work with applicants to speed up the assessment of housing applications lodged under State significant development pathways.

First released in December 2023, the guide only applied to the in-fill affordable housing State significant development pathway. It was updated in August 2024 to include applications lodged by certain public authorities under section 26 of the Planning System State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).

Refined guide

In August 2025, we expanded the guide to include more State significant development housing pathways and to reflect recent changes to assessment policies and practices.

The guide now applies to:

In addition, the refinements include:

  • Clarified minor process differences for applicants using the Housing Delivery Authority pathway or lodging a concurrent rezoning.
  • Refined criteria in which faster assessments apply.
  • Confirmation that referrals to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for determination will occur only in limited circumstances.
  • Clarification that State significant development applications will be exhibited for the minimum period set out in the legislation and in the Department’s Community participation plan.

Faster State significant development assessments are supported by dedicated housing assessment teams, industry-specific Secretary's environmental assessment requirements (SEARs), and, in most cases, a mandatory scoping meeting.

Guidance for applicants

A set of State significant development guidelines is available to improve assessment guidance and support applicants in preparing a high-quality environmental impact statement and any supplementary documentation.

Guidance on assessing the impacts for a range of issues can be found on the NSW Planning Portal.

Housing-specific guidance

Apartment Design Guide

This guide provides consistent planning and design standards for apartments across NSW. It includes design criteria and general guidance on how development proposals can achieve the nine design quality principles identified in Schedule 9 of the Housing State Environmental Planning Policy.

View the Apartment Design Guide.

Social impact considerations

The industry-specific Secretary's environmental assessment requirements for State significant housing projects require consideration of social impacts within the environmental impact statement. If the impacts are significant, a social impact assessment is needed, in accordance with the Social Impact Assessment Guideline.

For an example of how social impacts might be considered as part of the environmental impact statement for State significant development housing, view the Social Impact Assessment for SSD housing case study available on the NSW Planning Portal.

Contact us

If you are a State significant development applicant and need to arrange an early scoping or scoping meeting, email the relevant contact:

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