Local Infrastructure Contributions and Planning Agreements

Development contributions

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) enables councils or other consent authorities to levy contributions for public amenities and services required as a consequence of development.  

Development Contributions are prepared in accordance with the requirements of the EPA Act and associated regulations.

Section 7.11 Contribution Plans 

The City Wide Infrastructure Contributions Plan 2020 (amended in 2022) was adopted at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 20 July 2022 and came into force on the 1 August 2022.

Further information regarding Infrastructure Contributions and guide can be found on Department of Planning and Environment’s (DPE) website here. 

The City Wide Infrastructure Contributions Plan 2020 repeals and replaces various plans which can be found here.

Current contribution levies

The current contribution levies for the City Wide Infrastructure Contributions Plan 2020 (amended in 2022) are shown in the below document and are valid until 29 January, 2025.

Savings and transitional arrangements

A Development Application submitted prior to the adoption of Contribution Plans and/or Agreements, but not determined, shall be determined in accordance with the Plan/Agreement which applied at the date of determination of the Application. 

Monitoring and review

Contributions Plans and Planning Agreements will be reviewed regularly in accordance with the Plans.

Forecasting for the future

Council’s Local Infrastructure Contributions Plans use population projections to assist us in planning the infrastructure required to meet the needs of the growing population of the Cessnock Local Government Area. Council has engaged ID (Informed Decisions), a specialist in demographics, to prepare a population forecasting module to assist us with our strategic planning. This forecasting module is now available to all and can be accessed at forecast.id.com.au/Cessnock.

Contributions register

In accordance with the EPA Act and Regulations, Council must have a Contributions Plan Register available at the link below:

Contributions quotations

Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 Contributions Quotation Application Form

Annual Statement

In accordance with Department of Planning, Planning Circular PS 21-002, Council is to provide an annual statement detailing the breakdown of contributions expenditure by project. Click here to view the current annual statement.(XLSX, 55KB)

Section 7.12 Fixed development consent levies

The Section 7.12 Levy Contribution Plan(PDF, 3MB) applies to all forms of development not otherwise covered by an existing Development Contributions Plan or Planning Agreement e.g. commercial, industrial, government agencies and mixed-use development.  

Contributions for S7.12 are calculated on a percentage of the cost of the development. The S7.12 Levy Contributions Plan calculated these levies as follows:

Proposed costs of carrying out the development

Percentage of the levy

$0 to $100,000

0%

$100,001 to $200,000

0.5%

Over $200,000

1%

NSW State Government - Housing and Productivity Contribution

The Housing and Productivity Contribution came into effect in October 2023 by the State Government and is a separate levy to the Local Infrastructure Contribution.

The contribution applies to all development applications for residential, commercial and industrial development in the Lower Hunter Region which includes Cessnock.

Contributions collected will help deliver schools, hospitals, major roads, public transport infrastructure and regional open space. Further information can be found on the Department of Planning’s website.

Planning Agreements and Policy

A Planning Agreement is an agreement between the planning authority (Council or (DPE) the Department of Planning and Environment) and the developer.

Council’s adopted Planning Agreement Policy can be found here. To assist with the negotiation and preparation of Planning Agreements, Council has prepared the following documentation for assistance:

Planning Agreements

Council has entered into several Planning Agreements under section 7.4 Planning Agreements of the EPA Act. A register of these Planning Agreements can be found here(DOCX, 36KB). Individual register agreements can be found below: 

Planning Agreements

Planning Agreements commenced: 

Planning Agreements not commenced:

Planning Agreements completed:

Biodiversity Planning Agreements

Council has entered into several Biodiversity Planning Agreements. A register of these Planning Agreements can be found here. Individual register agreements can be found below:

Biodiversity Planning Agreements

Further information:  

For more information, please email contributions@cessnock.nsw.gov.au.

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