Voluntary planning agreements are frequently used by planning authorities, such as local councils, as the legal mechanism by which proponents of renewable energy projects share the benefits of those projects with the local community. Planning agreements for renewable energy projects…
The recently finalised Housing and Productivity Contribution Works-in-Kind Guideline dated February 2026 published by NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (‘Guideline‘) sets out arrangements for how developer delivery of State and regional infrastructure is evaluated, prioritised and managed.
ALERT: New Local Infrastructure Contributions (including VPA) Practice Notes in Force for NSW
10 Jul, 2025
The Planning Secretary in NSW has published a suite of new local infrastructure contributions practice notes. These include an updated planning agreements practice note. The publication was not announced in a media release or accompanied by a planning circular by…
ALERT – Draft Housing and Productivity Contribution Scheme Works-in-Kind Guideline Released by NSW Government
19 Jun, 2025
The NSW Government has today released the proposed ‘Housing and Productivity Contribution Scheme Works-in-Kind Guideline‘ (Draft Guideline) and is inviting public submissions on it until 17 July 2025. The Housing and Productivity Contributions Scheme (HPC Scheme) is established under Subdivisions…
Overview One of the key features of voluntary planning agreements (‘VPAs‘) under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) (‘EPA Act‘) is their potential to be used to enable communities to share in the benefits of development. This type…
Yesterday, a Bill to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (Act) was introduced by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to NSW Parliament. The Minister stated that the Bill is to support the delivery of housing and…
A significant issue regarding the construction of precinct-planned roads in new development areas is the construction of half-width roads. Provision of new local roads In NSW, where a local council has identified particular local roads to service its wider area,…
Under s 7.3(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (‘EPA Act‘), monetary contributions paid under a s 7.11 condition in accordance with the conditions of a development consent or with a planning agreement must be held and applied towards…
The Department of Planning and Environment is publicly exhibiting a document titled ‘Local infrastructure contributions practice notes‘ (Draft VPA Practice Note) as part of its set of new infrastructure contribution practice notes. The Department is seeking feedback until Friday 23…
The Department of Planning and Environment is publicly exhibiting a new set of local infrastructure contribution practice notes and seeking feedback until Friday 23 February 2024. The Department’s website states that it ‘has undertaken the first comprehensive rewrite of all…
On 25 August 2023, the NSW Department of Planning and Environment released the draft Environmental Planning and Assessment (Housing and Productivity Contribution) Order 2023 (Ministerial order) to give effect to the introduction of the Housing and Productivity Contribution (HPC). The…
ALERT: Bill for Housing & Productivity Development Contributions Scheme Passed by Parliament
30 Jun, 2023
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Housing and Productivity Contributions) Bill 2023 which was introduced into the NSW Legislative Assembly on 23 May 2023 was passed by Parliament on 28 June 2023. It is currently awaiting assent and will commence on…