About this policy

Councils are development regulators. But they also can be the developer, landowner or hold a commercial interest in the land they regulate.

New requirements have been introduced into the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 to address conflicts of interest in council related development.

Part of these requirements is that Councils must adopt a policy that specifies how conflicts of interest in connection with council-related development applications will be handled.

The objective is to manage potential conflicts of interest and increase transparency in the decision making process for Council-related development applications.

A draft Policy "Managing Conflict of Interest in Council Related Development Applications" is now on public exhibition so you can Have Your Say.

This policy is on public exhibition until 4pm, Monday 3 April 2023.

What will change?

Where Council is a developer, landowner or holds a commercial interest in the land they regulate, and they are development regulators an inherent conflict can arise. Identifying these conflicts of interest early and finding ways to address them is crucial to good governance and allows councils to strengthen their relationship with communities and build and enhance trust.

Council related developments are defined as:

A development application for which the council is the consent authority, that is -
(a) made by or on behalf of the council, or
(b) for development on land -
(i) of which the council is an owner, a lessee or a licensee, or
(ii) otherwise vested in or under the control of the council.

More information

Draft Policy - Managing Conflicts of Interest for Council related applications