Terms and acronyms
Accredited or private certifier
Accreditation body
Building Certificate
Building Code of Australia (BCA)
Compliance certificate
Complying development
Concurrence
Consent authority
Construction certificate (CC)
Designated development
Development application (DA)
Development consent
Development Control Plan (DCP)
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Environmental Impact statement (EIS)
Environmental planning and assessment act 1979 (EPA Act)
Environmental Planning Instruments (EPIs)
Exempt development
Integrated development
Local Environmental Plan (LEP)
Local Environmental Study (LES)
Occupation certificate
Part 4A certificate
Planning certificate
Principal certifying authority
Regional Environmental Plan (REP)
Regional Environmental Study (RES)
State of Environmental Effects (SEE)
State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP)
State significant development
Strata certificate
Subdivision certificate
Zoning
Accredited or private certifier
A private sector professional who is accredited to issue certain certificates and perform specific duties under the legislation.
Accreditation body
A professional body that can accredit members with the right to act as a private certifier. The Minister will evaluate a body's accreditation scheme before granting its authorisation rights.
Building Certificate
A certificate issued by a local council certifying it will not make certain orders or take certain action in relation to a building.
Building Code of Australia (BCA)
A uniform set of technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings throughout Australia.
Compliance certificate
A certificate that certifies that conditions of consent have been satisfied, that work has been properly carried out or that the plan or design of the development complies with Australian standards.
Complying development
Routine development that can be promptly certified by a council or a private certifier.
Concurrence
The requirement for a government agency to consider development proposals in the light of its specialised functions and policies, and decide whether it agrees with the development taking place.
Consent authority
The Minister, public authority or council having the function to determine the application.
Construction certificate (CC)
A certificate that allows building or subdivision work to start.
Designated development
A development that is likely to have significant impacts on the environment and, as such, is subject to special regulatory procedures. A list of designated developments is provided in Schedule 3 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.
Development application (DA)
An application for consent to carry out development, but does not include an application for a complying development certificate.
Development consent
Consent to carry out development.
Development Control Plan (DCP)
Detailed guideline that illustrates the controls that apply to a particular type of development or in a particular area. A DCP refines or supplements a Regional Environmental Plan or Local Environmental Plan and is made according to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
A specialised part of the decision-making process, where the environmental impact is considered in detail, together with other aspects of the development.
Environmental Impact statement (EIS)
A formal evaluation of the effect or likely effect of a development or other activity on the environment. This is required as part of the development assessment process for designated development. This is also required for infrastructure (eg electricity transmission lines and pipelines, highways and motorways, sewage treatment plants) that does not require development consent.
Environmental planning and assessment act 1979 (EPA Act)
Principal planning legislation in NSW. Sets out the development assessment system in New South Wales in Parts 4 and 5 of the Act.
Environmental Planning Instruments (EPIs)
EPIs are Local Environmental Plans, Regional Environmental Plans and state environmental planning policies, which describe the current planning status and/or future developments of an area. They are made according to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Plans made prior to 1979 are deemed EPIs.
Exempt development
Proposals that do not require development consent so long as predetermined standards and requirements are satisfied.
Integrated development
Proposals that require development consent plus a specified permit/approval from a State agency, for example, a licence from the Environment Protection Authority or a permit from NSW Fisheries.
Local Environmental Plan (LEP)
The principal legal document for controlling development at the council level. The zoning provisions establish permissibility of uses and standards regulate the extent of development. They are prepared by councils and approved by the Minister (after public exhibition). Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority does not prepare or manage any LEPs.
Local Environmental Study (LES)
Undertaken to gather information needed to draft a new comprehensive local environmental plan. Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority does not prepare or manage any LESs.
Occupation certificate
A certificate that allows the occupation or use of a building.
Part 4A certificate
A construction, compliance, occupation or subdivision certificate.
Planning certificate
A certificate that provides information on the development potential of a parcel of land, including any planning restrictions that apply.
Principal certifying authority
A council or private accredited certifier that oversees the building or subdivision process.
Regional Environmental Plan (REP)
A plan proposed by the Minister or Director-General and approved by the Minister before becoming law. They address matters of regional significance.
Regional Environmental Study (RES)
Undertaken to gather information needed to draft a new comprehensive regional plan.
State of Environmental Effects (SEE)
A document required in "Schedule 1 Forms" of the EPA regulations. This document is prepared by a proponent and must accompany development applications for non-designated developments unless the proposal is considered to have negligible effects. The SEE should demonstrate that the environmental impacts of the development have been considered and should set out steps to be taken to protect the environment or mitigate any potential harm.
State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP)
Policy proposed by the Minister and approved by the Governor. They address matters of State significance.
State significant development
Development for which the Minister is the consent authority.
Strata certificate
A certificate that allows a subdivision to be registered by Land and Property Information NSW.
Subdivision certificate
A certificate that allows a strata subdivision to be registered by Land and Property Information NSW.
Zoning
The system of categorising land uses as prohibited, requiring consent or not requiring consent within particular areas. Zones (such as residential or commercial) are shown in plan form and explained in environmental plans.
