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Development approvals
If a ‘significant project’ has the potential to cause environmental, social or economic impacts, the project proponent must prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS).
The Coordinator-General’s report on the EIS is not an approval in itself.
The conditions of approval in the report only gain legal effect when they are attached to a development approval given under other specific legislation (e.g. Sustainable Planning Act 2009).
In other words, ‘significant project’ proponents are still required to obtain all other development approvals and licences from:
- local authorities (e.g. building approvals and material change of use approvals)
- state government agencies (e.g. gaining an environmental authority).
Coordinator-General’s report on EIS
When completed, the Coordinator-General’s report on the EIS is sent to the Integrated Development Assessment System assessment manager and other assessment managers for their consideration.
Generally, the Coordinator-General’s report on the EIS is used by the assessment managers to:
- complete assessment documentation
- determine a post-EIS approval and conditioning strategy.
Role of assessment managers
The assessment managers ultimately decide whether development approvals are granted for the proposed project. These managers:
- must attach the Coordinator-General’s conditions and recommendations to any development approval that is granted
- are not limited in their ability to refuse a project by the Coordinator-General’s report on the EIS
- can impose additional conditions on the development approval, provided they are not inconsistent with the conditions stated in the Coordinator-General’s report on the EIS.
