Planning support for business and development
The Special Activation Precinct’s streamlined planning service allows businesses to establish and grow with confidence, providing more local jobs and driving economic growth.
The Regional Growth (NSW) Development Corporation (RGDC) provides businesses, developers, and investors access to streamlined planning approvals alongside dedicated concierge support, allowing for a smooth and efficient pathway to development.
Dedicated
Concierge service.
Streamlined
Planning approvals.
Upfront
Planning assessments.
Delivery Plan
The delivery plan builds on the vision and principles for a precinct as established in the master plan. It is a statutory document, referenced by the State Environmental Planning Policy (Precincts-Regional) 2021 (Precincts-Regional SEPP), and is required before any development can occur within a Special Activation Precinct. The delivery plan sets out specific guidelines for:
precinct design
landscape design guidelines and strategy
infrastructure planning and delivery
precinct and site-based assessment criteria and solutions
precinct-wide mapping.
These guidelines assist landowners, businesses, investors, and developers to inform their proposals. The delivery plan alongside streamlined 30-day planning assessments, government-funded infrastructure, and Concierge support services, reduces the time and cost of establishing businesses within the precinct.
The Business Concierge team
The Concierge team is a relationship management function that provides a single point of contact to streamline engagement between investors and government. The team partners with investors, businesses, and developers to:
streamline investment decision making
address establishment challenges
identify precinct related partner and project opportunities
navigate NSW Government processes including a streamlined planning, infrastructure, commercial, and partnership processes to accelerate development and delivery.
The Business Concierge function partners with investors, businesses, and developers to ensure their proposal meets the objectives and specific criteria for their development. The Business Concierge team works in partnership with Council to facilitate development needs.
RGDC takes a whole-of-government approach, connecting investors to information, studies, government incentives and programs to best support goals and vision of business and the precinct more broadly.
Activation Precinct Certificate process
A key aim of the activation precinct certification process is to facilitate streamlined planning assessments to provide greater investor certainty and a 30-day approval pathway. The below provides an overview of the 6-step process a developer is required to take to acquire an Activation Precinct Certificate (APC).
Development enquiry
High level advice on suitability of proposal for the precinct is provided by the Concierge team. Please get in touch if you would like to speak with the Concierge team and find out how they can help your business.
Concept design
Developer's proposals are considered by RGDC and detailed advice is provided on the specific application requirements, including other agency approval.
Pre-lodgement
Review and refine technical documentation. This involves pre-lodgement meetings and checking whether the development complies with the bespoke checklist issued by RGDC.
Evaluation and determination
The streamlined 30-day planning evaluation commences once application is accepted. RGDC will assess the proposal for consistency with the precinct’s master plan and delivery plan.
Activation Precinct Certificate
Once approval is given via an APC, the applicant can proceed with the development consent process, which is generally through the complying development certificate pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are no costs involved.
An APC remains valid for 3 years after it is issued.
Yes, both master plans and delivery plans are reviewed and updated every five years.
Should the proposed development change in design or intended use, a new APC is required. An evaluation will be carried out on the components that have changed from the initial APC and a new APC will be required prior to the issue of a Complying Development Certificate (CDC). If a CDC has already been issued, then the principle certifying authority is required to issue a new CDC that is consistent with the current APC for the proposed development.
Planning updates and resources
The following planning framework ensures the right mechanisms are in place for a streamlined planning approval process and the effective delivery of Special Activation Precincts: