Cumberland panel backs planning delegations, calls for three-year review Specified council planning officers can determine some heritage and secondary-dwelling applications, while the panel has recommended its arrangements be reviewed with a future chair in 2029. Council: Cumberland Council Meeting: 11 Nov 2026 Recorded status: mixed BRIEF Cumberland’s Local Planning Panel has backed delegations allowing specified council planning officers to determine some heritage-related and secondary-dwelling applications under conditions. The panel recorded four votes for and none against, and recommended that the arrangements be reviewed in three years with the future panel chair. KEY FACTS - The Cumberland Local Planning Panel recorded delegations under section 2.20(8) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 on 11 November 2026. - The heritage-related delegation covers four specified officer roles; the secondary-dwelling delegation covers only the Director Environment and Planning and Executive Manager City Planning and Development. - Some detached secondary-dwelling applications involving minimum site-area breaches are covered only where the site is at least 380 square metres, in accordance with the Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021. - Applications involving conflict of interest or contentious development under the specified ministerial direction are excluded. - The panel recommended a review in three years with the future panel chair; the minutes record four votes for and none against. ANALYSIS OF THE RECORD - The source records the delegations as panel decisions, while the three-year review is expressly recorded as a recommendation to Council. - The heritage-related functions are delegated to four officer roles, while the secondary-dwelling functions are delegated to two. - The supplied document is titled minutes and is not labelled draft, but its confirmation status is not stated. QUESTIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP REPORTING - Will Council take up the recommendation, and when would it schedule the review? - How many applications are expected to fall within the delegated categories each year? - What reporting, if any, will be provided on applications determined under the delegation? RECORDED NEXT STEPS - If Council takes up the recommendation, the delegations would be reviewed in three years in conjunction with the future Panel Chair. SOURCE PASSAGES The supplied document records a Cumberland Local Planning Panel meeting held on 11 November 2026. "Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting 11 November 2026 Page 1 Minutes of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting held via Zoom on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. PRESENT: Michael Leavey Chairperson Garry Chapman Expert Member David Milliken Expert Member Yakub Comert Community Member IN ATTENDANCE: Michael Lawani Executive Manager City Planning and Development Esra Calim Coordinator Planning Operations Haroula Michael Executive Planner Harley Pearman Executive Planner Bala Sudarson Executive Development Engineer Glenn Dawes Acting Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment Brittany Mould Acting Executive Advisory Planner Carina Szeto Acting" (Document title and meeting details) The panel delegated functions under section 2.20(8) to staff occupying or acting as Director Environment and Planning, Executive Manager City Planning and Development, Coordinator Major Development Assessment and Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment, subject to Schedule A. "Against: Nil. ITEM ELPP037/26 - DELEGATION OF FUNCTIONS, SECTION 2.20(8), ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979 PANEL DECISION: 1. That the Panel pursuant to Section 2.20(8) of the EPA Act, delegates to the Cumberland Council staff members for the time being occupying or acting in the office titled Director Environment and Planning, Executive Manager City Planning and Development, Coordinator Major Development Assessment, and Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment subject to the conditions specified in Schedule A: (a) The determination of a development application or an application to modify a development consent for the demolition" (Item ELPP037/26, panel decision 1) The heritage-demolition provision covers applications to demolish a listed heritage item where the proposal relates to non-heritage-significant structures, maintains significant building fabric or does not adversely affect heritage significance, and is supported in writing by a heritage impact statement prepared by a suitably qualified person. "Against: Nil. ITEM ELPP037/26 - DELEGATION OF FUNCTIONS, SECTION 2.20(8), ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979 PANEL DECISION: 1. That the Panel pursuant to Section 2.20(8) of the EPA Act, delegates to the Cumberland Council staff members for the time being occupying or acting in the office titled Director Environment and Planning, Executive Manager City Planning and Development, Coordinator Major Development Assessment, and Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment subject to the conditions specified in Schedule A: (a) The determination of a development application or an application to modify a development consent for the demolition of a heritage item listed in Schedule 5 of the Cumberland Local Environmental Plan 2021 provided that the development as proposed or proposed to be modified: (i) Relates to non-heritage significant structures within the heritage site; or (ii) Maintains the significant fabric of the building; or (iii) Does not adversely affect the heritage significance of the heritage item; and (iv) Is supported in writing by a heritage impact statement prepared by a suitably qualified person." (Item ELPP037/26, panel decision 1(a)) The tree-work provision covers applications involving removal of or works to a tree on land containing a heritage item only where the tree is not individually heritage-listed, the heritage item's description does not include trees or gardens, and the work accords with the Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021. "(b) The determination of a development application or an application to modify a development consent that involves removal of or works to a tree located on land on which a heritage item is located provided that: (i) The tree is not individually listed as a heritage item in the Cumberland Local Environmental Plan 2021; and (ii) The description of the heritage item in the Cumberland Local Environmental Plan 2021 does not include trees or gardens; and Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting 11 November 2026 Page 4 (iii) Removal of or works to a tree is in accordance with Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021." (Item ELPP037/26, panel decision 1(b)) The secondary-dwelling delegation provision names staff occupying or acting as Director Environment and Planning and Executive Manager City Planning and Development, subject to Schedule A. It covers detached secondary-dwelling applications breaching the minimum site-area standard where the site is at least 380 square metres in accordance with the Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021, and secondary-dwelling applications breaching the parking standard where the parking rate complies with that plan. "2. That the Panel pursuant to section 2.20(8) of the EPA Act, the Cumberland Local Planning Panel delegates the following functions under the EPA Act to the Cumberland Council staff members for the time being occupying or acting in the office titled Director Environment and Planning and Executive Manager City Planning and Development subject to the conditions specified in Schedule A: (a) The determination of a development application or an application to modify a development consent for the purpose of a detached secondary dwelling where the development as proposed or proposed to be modified contravenes the non- discretionary development standard relating to the minimum site area provision as identified in s.53(2)(a) of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 and where the minimum site area is no less than 380 sqm, in accordance with the Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021. (b) The determination of a development application or an application to modify a development consent for the purpose of a secondary dwelling where the development as proposed or proposed to be modified contravenes the non- discretionary development standard relating to the number of parking spaces provision as identified in s.53(2)(b) of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021, and where the parking rate complies in accordance with the Cumberland Development Control Plan 2021." (Item ELPP037/26, panel decision 2(a) and 2(b)) The delegated functions cannot be exercised for development identified as conflict of interest or contentious development under the specified ministerial direction. "2. The delegated functions must not be exercised by the delegate if the application relates to development identified in Item 1 (Conflict of Interest) or Item 2 (Contentious development) of Schedule 2 of the Direction dated 6 March 2024 given by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces under section 9.1 of the EP&A Act titled "LOCAL PLANNING PANELS DIRECTION DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS TO MODIFY DEVELOPMENT CONSENTS"." (Item ELPP037/26, Schedule A condition 2) The panel recommended to Council that the delegations be reviewed in three years in conjunction with the future Panel Chair. "REASONS FOR DECISION: 1. The panel is supportive of the delegations to Council for the supporting reasons detailed in Council's report. 2. The Panel recommends to Council that a review of the delegations be undertaken in three (3) years in conjunction with the future Panel Chair." (Item ELPP037/26, reasons for decision 2) The voting record lists four members for and none against. "Cumberland Local Planning Panel Meeting 11 November 2026 Page 5 For: Michael Leavey (Chairperson), Garry Chapman, David Milliken and Yakub Comert. Against: Nil. The meeting terminated at 12.56pm." (Item ELPP037/26, voting record) SOURCES https://cumberland.infocouncil.biz/RedirectToDoc.aspx?URL=Open/2026/11/ELPP_11112026_MIN_3254.PDF https://minutesradar.com/news/cumberland-infocouncil-cumberland-local-planning-panel-11-nov-2026-11-nov-2026-minutes-cumberland-panel-backs-planning-delegations-calls-fo-b2c1c5f692/ Prepared from public council minutes using automated drafting and checks. No meeting attendance or interviews are implied. Check the original record and seek comment before republishing claims or analysis. Illustrations are generic, not depictions of actual projects.