The NSW Government has tabled the Planning System Reform Bill 2025, aiming to make planning approvals “faster, simpler, and fairer.” On the surface, that sounds like a win for efficiency — but what might it mean for our heritage and environment?
Key elements of the Bill include:
– Centralising approvals through a new Development Coordination Authority.
– Expanding fast-track and complying development pathways.
– Streamlining consultation and standardising conditions.
While these reforms may reduce red tape, they raise real concerns for heritage practitioners and communities:
Could fast-tracking lead to heritage items being overlooked or undervalued?
Will Aboriginal voices and local communities lose opportunities for meaningful consultation?
Do “risk-based” assessments risk downplaying environmental and cultural impacts in favour of speed?
Heritage protection requires care, time, and context; qualities that don’t always fit neatly into a streamlined process. Efficiency should never come at the expense of cultural values and the landscapes that tell NSW’s story.
As professionals in heritage, planning, and environment, we need to engage in this debate. Reforms should balance timely approvals with robust safeguards that ensure heritage and environment remain front of mind.
#NSWPlanning #HeritageProtection #EnvironmentalPlanning #PlanningReform #NSWHeritage #AboriginalHeritage #Sustainability #UrbanPlanning #CulturalHeritage
