The NSW Government has introduced a new Statewide Community Participation Plan that changes how development applications are notified across NSW, including in the Willoughby local government area.
As a result, from 1 September 2026 Council will no longer notify some types of development application if they meet NSW Government requirements for building height and floor space.
This includes, but is not limited to:
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
Previously, all these development applications were required to be formally notified to neighbouring properties and the wider community, as set out on Council’s Community Engagement page.
If a development application is not required to be publicly exhibited under the Statewide Community Participation Plan, any comments received cannot be treated as a formal submission and do not need to be considered as part of the assessment process. If an application is publicly notified, all submissions received will be formally recognised and considered.
For the full list of development types excluded from public exhibition, see page 24 of the NSW Government’s Statewide Community Participation Plan.
All recent applications can still be tracked through Council’s application tracker.
These changes are required under the Statewide Community Participation Plan and replace Council’s previous notification and exhibition requirements for these types of applications.
The NSW Government has stated that the Statewide Community Participation Plan is intended to create a clear and consistent approach to development application notification across NSW and help streamline planning processes.
