The NSW Government has passed the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025, which will implement notable reforms to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, marking one of the most significant planning overhauls in years. Unlike earlier reforms which have primarily aimed to increase housing supply, these amendments will impact all categories of development and reshape how projects are assessed, approved and delivered in NSW.
Several of the key reforms include:
- Introducing a new “proportionate and risk-based approach” to environmental planning and assessment, to ensure that planning authorities focus on significant rather than minor problems.
- Permanently establishing the Housing Delivery Authority which provides streamlined approval pathways.
- Removing Sydney district and regional planning panels.
- Creating a new Development Coordination Authority to centralise referrals and advice in the development assessment process across government agencies, improving efficiency and consistency.
Developers, councils and industry stakeholders will need to closely monitor the implementation of these reforms.