Development Applications Online

The Lands, Planning and Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 was passed in Parliament in the September sittings.  The Planning Act 1999 amendments in the Lands, Planning and Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 will come into effect on Monday 06 October 2025.

The changes that will affect applications from Monday 06 October 2025 are:

• Amendments to sections 43B and 57 that allow more flexibility in considering alteration and variation applications, provided changes don’t negatively impact neighbouring properties.
• Reduction of the public notice period from 14 days to 7 days for applications subject to the no notice or limited notice provisions (sections 47A and 47B) such as applications for consolidation, unit title or reduced side setback to sheds. 

The amendments will also introduce simplified notice requirements where affected parties (such as service authorities, councils or neighbours) have already given written consent. This requires a form to be approved under the Act. When this occurs, we will share it with you.

For more information about these changes and new processes contact Development Assessment Services 8999 6046 or DAS.NTG@nt.gov.au

Date Added: 2025-10-02

To strengthen transparency and reduce the risk of perceived or potential conflicts of interest, updates have been made to steps in the lodgement of applications through DAO to clarify the requirements for identifying all parties associated with a development application.

�� What’s New?

1.  Applicant Information

The name and contact details of:

• The applicant (defaults to the DAO Account holder), and
• Any person on whose behalf the application is made.

NEW: If lodging on behalf of a client, use the “Add Additional Applicant” button to include your client’s details i.e on whose behalf the application is made.

2. Other Interested Parties

Details of any additional parties not already identified through applicant or landowner information include:

• Any person who has entered into an agreement with the applicant and/or landowner to acquire an estate or interest in the land or any person with an interest prescribed by regulation.

NEW: Use the “I have additional persons to add” button to include additional parties not already identified.

NEW: If no other persons are associated with the application, applicants must click the “No other persons identified” button to formally declare this.

These changes aim to ensure all relevant parties are disclosed upfront, supporting fair and transparent assessment processes.

Date Added: 2025-09-08

On 27 August 2025, the Minster for Lands, Planning and Environment declared classes of planning scheme amendments that do not require public exhibition.

The declaration, made under section 11(3) of the NT Planning Act 1999, is another tool government is using to cut timeframes associated with proposals to amend the NT Planning Scheme 2020. The classes include those recommended by the recent Approvals Fast Track Taskforce, together with additional measures that remove duplicative exhibition and provide an accelerated assessment pathway for eligible low-risk amendments.

Check out the declaration here: Declaration under section 11(3) of the Planning Act 1999 - class of amendments

For further information please contact Lands Planning on (08) 8999 8963 or email planning.ntg@nt.gov.au.

Date Added: 2025-09-01

The Northern Territory Government is investigating a multi-user, multi-asset infrastructure corridor as part of its commitment to rebuilding the Territory economy. It is called Territory Energy Link and was formerly known as the Tennant Creek to Darwin Infrastructure Corridor.

The project is now entering a feasibility phase. A prefeasibility study completed in 2024 identified a preliminary alignment which takes into consideration connections to existing infrastructure, avoids known constraints, and minimises environmental and cultural impacts.

A 530m wide study corridor will be investigated through this stage to determine the final 130m wide corridor alignment.

For further information, please refer https://infrastructure.nt.gov.au/project/territory-energy-link, or contact the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure on 1800 921 301 or territoryenergylink.dli@nt.gov.au.

Date Added: 2025-07-11