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Planning for business, projects and events

The NSW Department of Planning has transferred some planning responsibilities to the City of Sydney.

The transfer includes determinations on development with a capital investment value of under $5 million at Sydney Harbour foreshore sites including:

• The Rocks
• Wharf 2/3 at Walsh Bay
• Darling Harbour
• the Casino switching station site
• the Bank Street area of Pyrmont including Sydney Fish Market.

Under the agreed transfer, the Minister for Planning will remain the consent authority for:

• major development on sites identified on the State Heritage Register
• development which breaches height limits outlined in the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority Scheme for The Rocks
• development with a capital investment value in excess of $5 million, which is development under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979.

Minor activities, such as the placement of additional tables on the street for special events or temporary community events, are now categorised as exempt development and do not require a DA. Landowner approval will continue to be required.
For more information see the attached document or visit the Department of Planning website.

For information about the planning assessment process, please contact the Department of Planning on (02) 9228 6111 or information@planning.nsw.gov.au or City of Sydney on (02) 9265 9333.

Heritage and planning
The Authority will continue to assess proposals under sections 60, 57, 139 and 140 of the NSW Heritage Act, 1977, under delegation from the NSW Heritage Council. These applications need to be submitted to the Authority for assessment prior to a development application being lodged with the Department of Planning.

Landowner's consent
All planning and heritage applications related to areas owned by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority must receive landowner's consent from the Authority prior to being lodged for assessment with the Department of Planning. When lodging an application to the Authority for landowner's consent, applicants:

• are encouraged to first discuss their application with the Authority
• must attach all relevant planning and heritage application forms (refer to Related Information on this page). All applicants will receive a letter acknowledging the receipt of their application
• must deliver or send their application to Landowners Consent, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Level 6, 66 Harrington Street, The Rocks NSW 2000.

Once applications have received landowner's consent:

• development applications must be lodged by the applicant with the Department of Planning at 23-33 Bridge Street, Sydney NSW 2000 or GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001.
• heritage applications will be forwarded to the Authority's Planning, Heritage and Urban Design team for determination. Heritage approvals must be obtained prior to the lodgement of a development application with the Department of Planning.

Please contact your place manager if you have any questions about landowner's consent or heritage applications.

NSW Government planning reforms
In November 2008, the NSW Government announced widespread reforms to the State's planning portfolio effective from 1 December 2008. As part of the reforms, all development applications (DAs) previously assessed by the Authority were delegated to the Department of Planning.

Applications still under assessment by the Authority as of 1 December 2008 were transferred to the Department of Planning.

In accordance with section 101 of the Environmental Planning and Assessments Act, 1979 and clause 124 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, 2000 all consents determined by the Authority up until 30 November 2008 are available for public inspection free of charge at the offices of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Level 6, 66 Harrington Street, The Rocks between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday.