Planning Portal is making it hard to do business

Published on 09 June 2022

Councils across the Central NSW, including Federation Council are reporting their absolute frustration with the NSW Planning Portal to the NSW State Government.  

Federation Council Mayor, Cr Pat Bourke said the Portal was designed to ‘deliver a more efficient and optimised planning system for NSW’ and fast track the DA process – but it has become an extra level of administration to navigate through for both the developer and Council.

“Councils right across NSW are reporting having to employ extra staff to manage the administration burden when the region is already experiencing a significant shortage of planners,’’ he said.

“Councils want to get on and assess applications, so people can get on and build it is hard enough with rising costs, skills shortages and supply shortages without the significant frustration this Portal is causing. Prior to the new system Councils’ planning departments would offer face to face pre lodgement meetings that would cover off on what was needed, and a timeline. Now there is no human interaction and a real human disconnect during the application lodgement process for our communities.”

Mayor Bourke said the idea of one stop streamlined, online system is welcomed – but the portal has not been implemented in that fashion.

“Having to repeatedly lodge the same information multiple times over for; development application, construction certificate, section 68 for a simple development is creating unprecedented inefficiencies at a time when all Councils have received; and are processing an unprecedented number of applications,” he said.

“There is a lot of repetitive, time-consuming processes and a noticeable lag time between information requests. The download and upload capability in the system needs to be increased. This is not a function of individuals or councils’ internet speed; it is a system issue. Council is standing with other Central NSW councils and is calling for the Department of Planning and Environment to review the system and adapt it to significantly increase efficiencies and processing times whilst importantly also providing a user friendly, intuitive and streamlined facility that works for all stakeholder.”