The complying development pathway offers streamlined planning and construction approvals for straightforward developments. This means projects that meet strict construction and building standards may be approved faster by council or an accredited certifier.
Using complying development to support productivity
We’ve made it easier for businesses by allowing them to do more work without the need for a development application, if they meet specified criteria.
We’ve made it easier for businesses to operate and innovate. If businesses follow the rules, they can do things like extend their trading hours, set up a click-and-collect bay in the car park or change their business altogether.
The complying development pathway allows businesses to:
- quickly adapt their offerings to new market demands for things such as entertainment facilities, indoor recreation facilities and creative industries
- attract investment with new and larger building allowances
- upgrade sites and parking to accommodate new modes of delivery, create parking exclusions for small premises, change loading bays and create click-and-collect facilities
- stay open for longer in certain areas.
We have prepared a Business Zone Design Guide (PDF, 16.9 MB) to support the design verification process.
We have also prepared an extended business hours noise guide to help business take advantage of extended operating and trading hours.
Consultation and feedback
To make the complying development pathway possible, we changed the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 – also known as the Codes SEPP. The changes were publicly exhibited from 31 March until 9 May 2021. We used feedback from the exhibition to finalise the changes.
The changes came into force 1 February 2022.
To read the explanation of the intended effect of the changes to employment lands, visit the NSW Planning Portal.
You can find out more about what we heard during consultation and how we responded by reading the Building Business Back Better – Consultation and engagement summary (PDF, 2.7 MB).
For more information about the program, email [email protected]