Burwood planning consultation shifts under NSW-wide framework from 1 September

Burwood residents and applicants will see planning notification and consultation arrangements transition towards a statewide NSW framework that commenced on 1 September 2026.

Burwood Council received and noted the NSW Government Statewide Community Participation Plan at its 22 September meeting, along with Council’s implementation and transition approach.

The framework covers how planning matters are notified, placed on public exhibition and opened for community participation across the Burwood Local Government Area. The available decision information does not specify the precise local notification changes, exhibition dates or first projects affected.

The statewide arrangements are separate from an amended Voluntary Planning Agreement covering 17 George Street, 21 George Street and 28-34 Victoria Street, Burwood.

Council authorised the General Manager to finalise and sign that agreement. The developer must pay the monetary contribution under the updated schedule. The agreement allows staged payments and corresponding staged release of land titles without changing the approved development or reducing the total contribution. The original agreement provided for an $8 million contribution towards open space, community facilities, public infrastructure or other public purposes determined by Council.

The transition also sits alongside two separate local policy exhibitions. Council endorsed the Draft Inclusive Burwood Plan 2026-2030 for public exhibition, giving residents, particularly people with disability and carers, an opportunity to comment on the proposed accessibility and inclusion roadmap.

Council also endorsed a draft Petition Policy for 28 days of public exhibition. If submissions are received, the General Manager must report back. If none are received, the policy may be adopted and the 2016 policy revoked.

Neither of those exhibitions is described as part of the statewide planning framework.

The statewide plan provides a common basis for planning participation across NSW, while Council’s implementation and transition approach will determine how Burwood’s local arrangements move towards the new requirements. The supplied decision information does not identify the first individual developments or planning proposals to be affected.