Smart Planning Approvals

Introduction

This project is making the Complying Development Certificates (CDC) review process quicker and easier. It will save time for both local councils, private certifiers, and customers.  

This pilot uses information from the State’s digital assets, including the e-Planning Map Viewer and e-Planning tools. Using AI algorithms, the pilot will help to quickly identify parts of the applications that don’t meet the CDC requirements. It can provide immediate feedback to the people who submitted them. This allows council planning staff to focus on more complex proposals and decisions.  

These features are helping to improve the NSW e-Planning platform.  These features give customers feedback on their proposed design and CDC application prior to submitting forms to a council or certifier. This will increase the level of customer engagement and improve the quality of the applications submitted for review and assessment. 

Challenge 

In 2021-22, NSW local councils reviewed more than 30,000 complying development applications.. Projects range from home extensions to construction of a new dwelling house, new industrial buildings, demolition of a building, and changes to a business use.

Submitting an application to local council or certifier can be confusing. It can be a stressful and protracted process for applicants. Adding to this stress is the time taken for determination and feedback.  

Many councils and private certifiers manually process CDC applicationss. This requires a council officer to assess applications on an ad-hoc basis. This causes many problems for applicants, council officers and state government, including:  

• slow turnaround times with risk of misunderstandings and cost to the applicant  

• inconsistent processes for lodgement acceptance  

• inconsistent assessment practices across councils   

• lack of clarity on complying development eligibility.  

Solution  

This project seeks to streamline the CDCassessment process. It will do so by leveraging the existing data available in the e-Planning portal.  

Using AI to assess compliance, the pilot will use complying development as a test case. The aim is to provide applicants with a quick ‘first pass’. They can then lodge their full application. Future extensions to the pilot will enable applicants to use the same AI technology to get relevant and important pre-lodgement feedback on their proposed applications. This gives applicants an opportunity to amend their application based on real-time feedback, prior to lodging with relevant authorities.  

The proposed data-driven approach will quickly filter out non-compliant CDCs. It will facilitate more effective use of council planning resources. This will deliver efficiencies within the Department of Planning. It will also strengthen the State’s e-Planning platform. These functions will increase the level of customer engagement and improve the quality of the applications submitted for review and assessment using the NSW Planning Portal.  

The initiative will deliver a proof of concept and a 12-month pilot program for the City of Parramatta and Georges River Council.  

Expected outcomes  

Smart Places outcome areas:

• skills, jobs and development
• collaboration and connection.

The project will result in a reduction in the processing time required for development consents. This will deliver time and cost efficiencies for both the community and state government.  

Resources

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