Impact of Northern Rivers Flood Event on DA assessments - 8 March 2022

If you’ve recently lodged a Development Application or are about to, please be aware that due to a number of exceptional circumstances, customers can expect delays on Council assessment times for all DAs.

Staff are making every effort to triage the types of applications received, and implement temporary measures to so staff can get access to the information and IT required to enable them to work as best they can.

To help staff, please limit your contact to emails only for the next several days:

Please allow two business days for non-urgent responses

We apologise for the inconvenience and frustration this may be causing and we are working hard to address this issue.

In addition to the recent weather event, are still dealing with an unprecedented surge in DA assessments from across the Shire. Over 100 more than at the same time last year. Along with the impacts of having to transition to providing online and virtual service delivery via the NSW Planning Portal 

To help us reduce delays

There are some ways that you can assist us if you’re lodging a DA, to help us reduce delays. 

We’d be grateful for your assistance with the following at this time:

  • Email enquiries regarding your specific development application to council@byron.nsw.gov.au and mark it for the attention and action of the relevant assessment planner. 
  • Limit contact with the assessment planner to a single representative for the Applicant only
  • Note that the assessment planner will contact community members who make a submission directly for any clarification if required. Multiple contacts about submissions are not necessary.
  • Use email, or leave a voice mail when contacting the assessment planner. Please allow at least one working day for all non-urgent replies.
  • Use the planning portal as the source of all information relating to development applications. It will continue to be upgraded and improved for this purpose.

Council is committed to maintaining open communication with applicants, developers and the community as this situation evolves and as new issues and challenges arise.

We will continue to post updates on our website and through the e-planning news.

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