A Community Participation Plan (CPP) sets out when and how Council will engage its community across the range of town planning functions it performs under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979). It is a new statutory requirement in the Act as of 1 December 2019.
The CPP helps community members set expectations on how they will be consulted by Council in relation to town planning matters, which include development applications and strategic planning documents.
This CPP identifies:
- The mandatory community engagement requirements of the Act, including variations to those requirements where
permitted; - How community engagement will be undertaken;
- The minimum period for community engagement; and
- How the community can make submissions.
Why is community participation important?
- It builds community confidence in the planning system;
- Community participation creates a shared sense of purpose, direction and understanding of the need to manage growth and change, while preserving local character;
- It provides access to community knowledge, ideas and expertise.
Richmond Valley Council’s current Community Participation Plan can be viewed or downloaded via the link below.