In a move to simplify and streamline development approvals, Northern Beaches Council has unified its Development Assessment services across all three former Council areas.
Acting General Manager Planning, Place & Community Melissa Messina said that these changes would significantly improve the customer experience and reduce processing times for development applications.
“Following public consultation, Council has implemented changes across key areas of Development Assessment to improve and streamline services for our customers.
“These changes herald a new era for Development Assessment on the Northern Beaches,” Ms Messina said.
The Development Application Management Policy and the Development Control Plan (DCP) have been aligned across the three former Council areas (Pittwater, Warringah and Manly), which means that Northern Beaches residents can expect clarity and consistency in the handling of their development applications.
The updated Development Application Management Policy encourages pre-lodgement consultation and offers clear, succinct guidelines for successful development applications.
Council’s amended DCP comes into effect on Saturday 8 July and provides one consolidated set of controls that apply to the exhibition, advertisement, notification and handling of submissions for development applications.
Council has also reviewed determination procedures for development applications, resulting in a simplified system.
“We now offer a streamlined process whereby development applications are referred to one of three determination bodies based on standardised criteria which include cost of works and objections received,” Ms Messina said.
- Complex applications will be referred (monthly) to a single external body: the Northern Beaches Independent Assessment Panel (NBIAP)
- Less contentious applications will be referred (fortnightly) to a single internal body: the Development Determination Panel (DDP)
- Straightforward applications will be determined by a Development Assessment Manager
For further details, please visit yoursay.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au.