A New Statewide Community Participation Plan

On 1 September 2026, all planning authorities, including Richmond Valley Council, must use the new statewide Community Participation Plan as required by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

The Statewide Community Participation Plan replaces Richmond Valley Council’s 2019 community participation plan.

The Statewide plan standardises consultation and public exhibition timeframes for planning functions across NSW.

The Community Participation Plan (CPP) outlines exhibition timeframes for development.

Key changes in the CPP include:

• Exhibition timeframes for draft district and regional plans and local strategic planning statements have increased to a legislated minimum of 60 days
• Residential flat buildings and shop top housing development types will be subject to a minimum 14-day exhibition
• A list of lower impact development types will not require exhibition or notification including:
  • Ancillary development to existing residential accommodation (such as but not limited to pools, sheds, pergolas and carports)
  • Bed and breakfast accommodation
  • Change of use (excluding a change of use to a registered club or pub, and excluding any development that adjoins, or is located on, land in a residential zone)
  • Demolition
  • Dual occupancy (up to two storeys)
  • Attached dwelling (up to 5 dwellings)
  • Dwelling house (up to two storeys)
  • Multi dwelling housing (up to 5 dwellings)
  • Secondary dwelling
  • Exhibition home
  • Extensive agriculture
  • Farm building
  • Home business
  • Home industry
  • Home occupation
  • Industrial retail outlet
  • Internal and external alterations and additions (excluding residential accommodation)
  • Internal and external alterations and additions to existing residential accommodation resulting in no more than two storeys
  • Kiosk
  • Roadside stall
  • Rural worker’s dwelling
  • Signage (excluding where it adjoins or is in a residential zone)
  • Subdivision of land resulting in no more than 5 new lots
  • Subdivision of land that is subject to an existing development consent for its current use.
  • Temporary structure
  • Tree removal on private land
  • Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(1) of the EP&A Act
  • Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(1A) of the EP&A Act
  • Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.56(1) of the EP&A Act with minimal environmental impact
  •  Applications to modify a development consent made under section 4.55(2) of the EP&A Act where the development the subject of the consent is specified in this Table.

To access the new CPP click on this link : New Statewide Community Participation Plan

Council is reviewing the new legislation and may progress a Richmond Valley Community Engagement Strategy to establish principles on how best to engage the local communities on planning matters.