The changing landscape of Development Assessment

As governments seek to deliver more housing, infrastructure and investment, the efficiency and effectiveness of development assessment have come under increasing scrutiny.

What was once viewed as a largely technical planning function is now a key policy focus. Strategic plans, approval pathways, assessment timeframes and decision-making processes are being reviewed across Australia to ensure planning systems remain responsive while maintaining transparency and sound governance. For professionals across state government, local councils and industry, understanding how development assessment is evolving has never been more important.

As planning systems become increasingly complex, practitioners are navigating a growing range of strategic, legal and policy considerations. 

For many years, DA processes have been criticised for being slow, inconsistent and highly discretionary. The Productivity Commission's 2023 Housing Supply and Affordability Review identified planning and assessment delays as one factor affecting the timely delivery of new development, prompting governments to review how assessment systems operate.

Traditional bottlenecks such as qualified planner and certifier shortages, lengthy referrals and multiple layers of approvals, complex regulation, risk aversion and political and community objections and pressures, are all under the microscope when it comes to DA reform. 

According to planning expert, Ali Hammoud “Every reform conversation talks about assessment times, however almost none of them talk about improving outcomes. A faster approval that still delivers a poor planning result isn't a win - it's just a quicker way to get the wrong answer.” 

In response, state governments have adopted alternative approaches to deliver planning objectives and priorities. In NSW, a suite of significant changes has been introduced and is underway.

A shift towards tiered assessment

The planning reform philosophy is that planners should spend their time where it adds the most value. One of the most significant trends in planning reform is the move towards tiered assessment pathways, where the scale and significance of a project determine who assesses it. In NSW a new objective of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act promotes a “proportionate and risk-based approach”.

Instead of having planners spend too much time on routine applications, the tiered system seeks to:

1. Automate or simplify low-risk approvals (complying development).
2. Streamline low-risk but non-standard projects (targeted assessment).
3. Reserve detailed professional assessment for more complex proposals.
4. Allocate major strategic projects to state-level processes 

Interestingly though, shifting responsibility does not always remove the bottleneck.

Planning expert, Ali Hammoud, comments “Initially, complying development was introduced to take pressure off DA queues. In practice, I am seeing that Private Certifiers now carry risk that local Councils used to absorb, and that's shifted the bottleneck rather than removed it. For example, many Certifiers will hesitate to sign off on Complying Development Certificate (CDC) projects without supporting documentary evidence, making the entire CDC process a quasi-DA process. For that reason, I am experiencing a shift back towards DAs rather than CDCs for some routine development categories.” 

Several states have introduced reforms designed to streamline assessment for larger or more complex projects. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland have all expanded pathways that allow significant developments to be assessed directly by the state, recognising that major projects often require different processes from smaller, routine applications.

In NSW, State Significant Development applications are determined by the Minister or the Independent Planning Commission. Victoria's Development Facilitation Program provides an accelerated pathway for eligible projects, while Queensland has strengthened state-led assessment processes for developments of strategic importance. 

This represents a shift from the traditional model in which most applications were assessed by local councils. State-led pathways aim to improve consistency, provide clearer assessment timeframes and better align planning decisions with state objectives and priorities. NSW has witnessed a significant increase in State Significant Developments.

Given these changes in the DA landscape, the technical demands on planning professionals continue to increase. Whether working in local government, state agencies or the private sector, practitioners are expected to navigate increasingly complex legislation, policy frameworks and assessment requirements while delivering timely, well-reasoned decisions.

Building capability for a changing system

As planning frameworks evolve so too does the need for practical knowledge of development assessment as well as informed, evidence-based decision-making, Understanding legislative requirements, assessment criteria, decision-making responsibilities and statutory processes is essential for professionals working across the planning and development sector. 

“Now more than ever, these skills are essential for anyone involved in the NSW planning system as without them, one risks drowning in a complex system full of many intertwining and at times competing layers.” says Ali Hammoud

While assessment pathways may change, the need for professionals working across planning, development and government, to have a strong understanding of development assessment is an increasingly valuable capability—one that supports better decisions and better outcomes for communities.

About Danny Wiggins

Dr Danny Wiggins is a consultant planner, facilitator and educator who has worked for all three levels of government and a range of private clients. As a Planning consultant, Danny specialises in the statutory planning system in New South Wales, with particular interest and expertise in the development and implementation of local Planning controls and development assessment systems.