After exhibiting a development application (DA) for State significant development (SSD), the department will publish all submissions online and ask the applicant to prepare a submissions report.
Preparing a submissions report
The purpose of the submissions report is to give the applicant an opportunity to respond to the issues raised in submissions, ensure the community gets feedback from the applicant on the issues raised in submissions and to help the consent authority evaluate the merits of the project.
The applicant must have regard to the State Significant Development Guidelines - Preparing a Submissions Report (Appendix C) in preparing the response.
The submissions report must provide:
- an analysis of the issues raised in submissions
- a description of what the applicant has done since exhibition to address these issues
- an updated evaluation of the merits of the project incorporating the findings of any further assessment or community engagement.
In preparing the submissions report, the applicant may:
- undertake further community engagement
- undertake further assessment of the impacts of the project
- refine or amend the design of the project (noting that amendments must be documented in a separate amendment report)
- be succinct, easy to understand and give accurate and proper consideration to the issues raised in submissions.
The department may also ask the applicant to respond to the issues raised by agencies. This response should be incorporated into the submissions report.
What happens next?
The applicant must lodge the completed submissions report on the NSW planning portal. The submissions report is then published on the NSW planning portal.
Changing the application in response to submissions
The applicant can amend the SSD application in response to submissions, with the approval of the consent authority.
For more information view the State Significant Infrastructure Guidelines – Preparing an Amendment Report (Appendix D).