In 2025, the planning environment for NSW property developers has entered a new phase. Community engagement is no longer a box-ticking exercise. It is a strategic and statutory requirement, reshaping how developers operate, plan and deliver projects across the state.
As experienced community engagement specialists, we’ve broken down our top tips for engaging communities, whether it’s a local Development Application or State Significant Development.
The Legal Imperative
Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), all consent authorities must publish a Community Participation Plan (CPP). These plans outline how and when the public can engage with planning decisions, including minimum exhibition timeframes:
- 14 days for most standard development applications
- 28 days for designated, integrated, or State Significant Development (SSD) proposals unless a longer period is set
For SSD and State Significant Infrastructure (SSI), the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure goes further. Its Undertaking Engagement Guidelines for State Significant Projects (2024) require proponents to:
- Engage early and tailor their methods to the scale and potential impacts of the proposal
- Show how community feedback influenced the design as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Submit a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) that addresses likely effects on health, access, culture, amenity, and livelihoods
This compressed timeframe places greater pressure on developers to build trust and resolve concerns before the formal exhibition period begins.
Top tips for Community Engagement
Meaningful engagement isn’t just about meeting compliance requirements, it also delivers commercial value and builds lasting community trust. We see these principles as essential to a successful strategy:
- Engage Early
Map your stakeholders and begin conversations as soon as you are ready to inform the community or plan a development. Early ideas shared in good faith are easier to improve and help build goodwill.
- Design for Inclusion
Use plain English materials, offer translated resources where needed, and combine face-to-face sessions with digital tools to reach diverse communities. We offer a mix of face-to-face and web based engagement to offer a range of ways for the community to leave confidential feedback.
- Show Your Work
Include a clear “You said, we did” record in your DA submission so the community can see how their feedback shaped the proposal.
- Balance Voices with Data
Support lived experience with quantitative evidence such as traffic analysis, shadow reports or noise modelling. This helps stakeholders understand that the development has considered the potential impacts based on facts rather than assumptions.
- Keep the Conversation Going
Engagement should not stop at approval. Offer construction updates, maintain feedback channels and schedule site visits to preserve your social licence throughout delivery. A base engagement website is a good platform to keep information updated and the community informed.
- Report the Social Dividend
Frame SIA outcomes as measurable community benefits. Examples include local employment, public open space or affordable housing benefits. Explain the reason behind why potential design or uses in the project have been proposed, based on data or policies.
With shorter formal engagement timelines, higher community expectations and growing attention on social impacts, the pressure to engage well and early is real.
Developers who treat engagement as a core part of their strategy are better placed to deliver high-quality places and build long-term support.
At Brilliant Logic, we support developers in planning and delivering community engagement strategies that earn trust, reflect local context and help thoughtful projects move forward with fewer surprises. We combine digital and on-the-ground tools to help you communicate clearly, listen meaningfully and meet both planning requirements and community expectations.
Not only do we handle community engagement strategies but also the complete engagement process including surveys, focus groups and webinars, eDM communication, website creation, letterbox communication and the final community engagement report.
If you’re preparing a major project and want to get engagement right from the start, we’re ready to help.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only. For legal or planning advice, consult qualified professionals or refer to relevant legislation and guidelines.