Regional councils across New South Wales will have access to almost $5 million to digitise their planning processes.
Up to $50,000 will be available to 95 regional councils and the Lord Howe Island Board to help with the transition to the Government’s planning portal, which will streamline council lodgements of development applications and complying development certificates.
Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW) President, Linda Scott said the funding would help councils transition their existing planning procedures to the statewide e-planning platform by 1 July 2021.
“For many years some councils have implemented their own on-line development application (DA) lodgement systems, and when the NSW Government announced plans for a uniform, digitised e-planning portal we were cautiously optimistic.”
“We welcomed the new system but wanted to ensure that councils would not be left holding the can of implementation and upkeep costs.
“While there are still teething problems as councils work to integrate the changes with their own systems, in the long term it will prove to be a time saving and cost saving process for councils that will also make it easier for applicants and local communities.”
Cr Scott said LGNSW had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NSW Government last July ensuring provision of online tools to maximise ease of use of the new system as well as the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s responsibility to protect privacy and maintain the system.
