The Community Participation Plan (CPP) sets out how and when planning authorities will engage the community and stakeholders in decision-making processes related to planning functions.
On 1 September 2026, The NSW Government introduced a new Statewide CPP which has resulted in changes to the system of development application notification and exhibition across all of NSW, including the Shellharbour City LGA.
Shellharbour City Council will no longer notify certain development application types, per the requirements of this Statewide CPP. This includes the following key development types, where they comply with height and floor space development standards for example:
- Land subdivision resulting in no more than five new lots
- Attached dwellings (up to five dwellings)
- Dual occupancies (up to two storeys)
- Dwelling house (up to two storeys)
- Demolition
- Multi-dwelling housing (up to five dwellings)
- Secondary dwellings (that is granny flats)
To find a full list of development types which are excluded from public exhibition, see Table 6 (page 24) of the NSW Government’s Community Participation Plan.
All recent applications can still be tracked through Council’s application tracker.
These changes have been made in line with the Statewide Community Participation Plan.
The NSW Government has stated that the Statewide Community Participation Plan is designed to create a clear and consistent approach to development application notification across NSW, and to speed up planning outcomes.