The public exhibition for the designated Development Application, DA2020/0005 has now concluded.  During the exhibition period of 28 days, Council received approximately 5000 submissions from the public.  With the Covid-19 Restriction in place, Council ensured that neighbouring landholders were provided a hard copy of the applicant’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In addition, all documentation was placed on USB’s and posted to any Hilltops community member who notified Council that they were unable to download or had difficulty accessing the document.
  Council’s Planning team is now reviewing each submission received to identify any duplications.  Once this review is complete, Council will commence assessing submissions and forward a copy of all submissions received to the applicant,  as their right of reply or to address matters raised.
It is to be noted:

  1. that the proposal is both a ‘Designated’ and ‘Integrated’ development for the purposes of the Environment Planning & Assessment Act, requiring development consent and one or more approvals from a NSW State Government Agency. This includes:
  • An environment protection license from the NSW environment Protection Authority under the provision of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
  • Approval for the use of groundwater from the NSW natural Resources Access Regulator under the Water Management Act 2000
  • An Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit from NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
  1. As an advertised Integrated Development Application, Government Agencies will receive the public submissions, via the NSW PlanningPortal. From the date the Agencies receive the public submissions they will have 21 days to respond to Council.

To understand the process of an Integrated Development Application please refer to the following NSW Planning Portal link:
https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/online-concurrence-and-referral

Regular updates on the progress of the application will be made available via the Hilltops Council website under ‘Development Status and Decisions’ https://www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au/Services/Building,-Planning-and-Transport/http-dev-hilltops-nsw-gov-au/Planning-Decisions.aspx and on Council’s Facebook page.