State Significant Development (SSD) refers to development types that the NSW Government has decided are important to the State for economic, environmental or societal reasons.

The NSW Government is responsible for the exhibition and assessment of, and decisions in regard to, SSD.

A development is considered SSD if it meets certain criteria, including if a development:

  • Is over a certain size or number of dwellings;
  • Is in an environmentally sensitive area; or
  • Will exceed a specific development cost threshold.

SSD types are listed under Chapter 2 – Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021.

In Sutherland Shire, SSDs typically comprise of residential development with infill affordable housing that has an estimated development cost greater than $75m, but can include other industrial and commercial projects.

Housing Delivery Authority (HDA)

In December 2024 the NSW State Government established the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) which aims to fast track the delivery of new housing across the state by streamlining planning approvals.

The HDA is a panel consisting of the:

  • Secretary of the Premier’s Department;
  • Secretary of the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (the Department); and
  • Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure NSW.

Developers with major housing projects of more than $60 million or at least 100 dwellings can submit an expression of interest to the HDA to seek a declaration that recognises their development as SSD.

The HDA considers all expressions of interest against published criteria and provides a recommendation to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces on whether to support the development proceeding as SSD.

The Minister (or delegate) reviews the HDA’s advice and may declare proposals as SSD. If declared, the development proceeds via the SSD pathway.

Further details, including the full eligibility criteria list and the HDA’s recommendations, are available on the relevant NSW Government website.

Sutherland Shire Council’s role

In relation to SSD application, our involvement is limited to:

  • Being notified by the NSW Government when a development is declared as SSD.
  • Providing a submission to the NSW Government on environmental considertaions and during the public exhibition period of a SSD. Our comments and submissions are made available on the relevant page for the SSD.

Frequently asked questions

Information on specific SSD applications can be found on the Major Projects Portal. Once a project lodges a Scoping Report, which is the first stage of the SSD process, it will also have a dedicated page in the Major Projects portal.

To find out more information about the SSD process visit the State significant development page on the NSW Government website.

To find out more information about the HDA visit the Housing Delivery Authority page on the NSW Government website.

To view all SSD projects in the Sutherland Shire follow this link or follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Major Projects Portal.
  2. Click on ‘Find a project’
  3. In the ‘Local Council Area’ box of the ‘Filter by’ panel, select ‘Sutherland Shire’
  4. Click on the relevant SSD project page

Once on a project’s page, community members can also click on the ‘Notify me’ button to be notified when the status of the project changes.

The HDA website contains all projects that have been considered by the panel. To view those relevant to Sutherland Shire, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Housing Delivery Authority page
  2. Scroll down to the heading ‘Project Summary’
  3. In the ‘Filter by’ box, select ‘Sutherland’
  4. Click the circular black ‘i’ in the ‘Details’ column for more information including address, type of development and number of dwellings

The key assessment steps for SSD are as follows:

  1. Lodgement

    An applicant lodges a scoping report outlining what their proposed development will entail. The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) processes this application and can seek out government and council feedback depending on the type of project. Projects can be found on the portal at this stage.

  2. Identify what information is required

    DPHI advises the applicant on what information must be included for a full assessment of the development. This advice is known as the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for the development. The developer must now prepare their environmental impact assessment documents.

  3. Public exhibition

    The developer has submitted their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and attachments, addressing the SEARs. These documents assess the potential impacts of the proposed development on the environment, economy and society.

    The documents are open for public and agency feedback, including by Council. This is the only opportunity for the public to give feedback.

  4. Respond to Submissions

    Following exhibition, the Department collates all submissions and requires the developer to respond. The developer must prepare a document (known as a Response to Submissions, or RtS) responding to feedback from agencies and the community and (if appropriate) detailing how their project has changed accordingly.

  5. Under Assessment

    The DPHI completes its assessment of the project, having consideration for the merit of the project, feedback received and how the developer has adjusted the project accordingly.

  6. Determined

The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (or delegate) has determined the application. DPHI’s assessment report and (if relevant) conditions of consent can be found in a dedicated tab on the project’s page.

Further information on SSD assessment process can be found in the State Significant Development Guidelines and on the relevant NSW Government website.

Yes, but only during the public exhibition period. Submissions must be made on the relevant NSW Major Projects portal page.

To make a submission:

  • Visit the Major Projects website on the NSW Planning Portal
  • Log in or create a new user account
  • Find the application on the exhibition tab of the portal
  • Click on the ‘make a submission’ button

There are help and resources on the portal including a step-by-step guide on how to make a submission on a state significant application and answers to frequently asked questions.

For more help, phone Service NSW on 1300 305 695.

Council cannot lodge submissions on behalf of any party.