Community Participation Plan
The NSW Government 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.
The plan applies to all planning authorities, including the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure (the Department), local councils and other state government departments and agencies. It is designed to clearly outline how and when the community can participate in planning decisions and processes, and when planning authorities exercise their relevant planning functions.
The plan has been prepared by the planning secretary to set out the mandatory community participation requirements in accordance with Division 2.6 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act).
Documents and further information
Public exhibition requirements
The NSW Community Participation Plan replaced the Snowy Monaro Community Participation Plan on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
The new plan introduced changes to public exhibition requirements for some development types.
The table below lists development types that are exempt from public exhibition under the current CPP and their exhibition requirements prior to September 2026 under the former Snowy Monaro CPP.
| Development type |
After 1 September 2026 |
Prior to September 2026 |
| Ancillary development to existing residential accommodation (such as but not limited to pools, sheds, pergolas and carports) |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Bed and breakfast accommodation |
No |
Yes |
| Change of use (excluding a change of use to a registered club or pub, and excluding any development that adjoins, or is located on, land in a residential zone) |
No |
Yes |
| Demolition |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Dual occupancy (up to two storeys) |
No |
Yes |
| Attached dwelling (up to five dwellings) |
No |
Yes |
| Dwelling house (up to two storeys) |
No |
Yes |
| Multi dwelling housing (up to five dwellings) |
No |
Yes |
| Secondary dwelling |
No |
Yes |
| Exhibition home |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Extensive agriculture |
No |
No |
| Farm building |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Home business |
No |
No |
| Home industry |
No |
No |
| Home occupation |
No |
Yes |
| Industrial retail outlet |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Infrastructure facility in the alpine region |
No |
No |
| Internal and external alterations and additions (excluding residential accommodation) |
No |
Yes |
| Internal and external alterations and additions to existing residential accommodation resulting in no more than two storeys |
No |
Yes |
| Kiosk |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Repair and maintenance of recreation infrastructure, lifting facility, or snow-making infrastructure in the alpine region |
No |
No |
| Roadside stall |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Rural worker's dwelling |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Signage (excluding where it adjoins or is in a residential zone) |
No |
Yes |
| Subdivision of land resulting in no more than five new lots |
No |
Yes |
| Subdivision of land that is subject to an existing development consent for its current use |
No |
Yes |
| Temporary structure |
No |
At officer's discretion |
| Tree removal on private land |
No |
No |
| Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(1) of the EP&A Act |
No |
No |
| Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(1A) of the EP&A Act |
No |
Yes |
| Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.56(1) of the EP&A Act with minimal environmental impact |
No |
Yes |
| Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(2) of the EP&A Act where the development that is the subject of the consent is specified in this table |
No |
Yes |