Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel

The Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) was established to provide an independent hearing forum for objectors and applicants on certain applications.

The IHAP meetings are held on Mondays with the public hearing commencing at 4.30pm.

What is IHAP?

The Panel assesses applications in a manner that is ethical, professional and independent of Liverpool City Council.

Applications which are referred to the Panel include an independent forum for stakeholders, applicant, the community and objectors, to discuss the following types of development applications:

  • Class two to nine buildings under the Building Code of Australia (BCA) where there are five or more unresolved objections, except where the application is being refused on the grounds of incomplete or insufficient information required to enable a complete and proper assessment of the application in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979;
  • Any matter (excluding Section 96 Modification Applications) that involves a variation to the Liverpool Local Environmental Plan 2008 or a relevant State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) greater than 10%;
  • Any development application lodged on behalf of or by Council, where it has a pecuniary interest in the development.

The development applications referred to above will only be considered by the IHAP and Council in circumstances where the Sydney South West Planning Panel is not the determining authority.

What happens

The Chairperson will open the meeting and introduce the panel members. The order of items are set out in the agenda. This is available before the meeting.

As each item is referred to, the objectors are invited to speak. The applicant will then be offered the opportunity to respond. Questions may be asked by the Panel members. After receiving all of the submissions, the meeting will be closed.

The Panel will then discuss the issues raised and consider the Assessment Officer's report. The IHAP makes a recommendation and prepares a report to go to Council for consideration.

There is no guarantee that the panel will adopt the recommendation of the Assessment Officer.

Have your say

If you wish to speak to the panel regarding a matter on the agenda, please contact Liverpool City Council by 4pm.

Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel meetings are open to the public.

The members

The panel members, who are independent of Council, will consist of a specialist in town planning, law, environment, urban design, traffic and a community representative. Panel members are on rotation and will be introduced on the meeting night.

The Assessment Officer is the staff member who is assessing the application for Council. The Assessment Officer prepares a report for the panel which includes their evaluation, the concerns raised during the exhibition period and their recommendations.

Council staff are responsible for notification of the IHAP meetings.

Members

Michael Manti - Chair

Julie Walsh - Alternate Chair

David Ryan - Alternate Chair

Michael Harrison - Expert Panel Member

Fiona Gainsford - Expert Panel Member

Jason Perica - Expert Panel Member

Grant Christmas - Expert Panel Member

Matthew Taylor - Expert Panel Member

Lindsay Fletcher - Expert Panel Member

Mary-Lynne Taylor - Expert Panel Member

Marjorie Ferguson - Expert Panel Member

Stephen Raymond Dobell-Brown -  Community Representative (South Ward)

Carl Edwards Hadfield - Community Representative (North Ward)

Outcome

After the panel has considered submissions made by interested parties, the panel will make a determination on the application. This becomes public the day following the meeting.

Please note that the panel may defer the determination of the application.

Meeting dates

Meetings

2018
  • 26 March
  • 30 April
  • 28 May
  • 25 June
  • 30 July
  • 27 August
  • 24 September
  • 29 October
  • 26 November
Electronic Determination minutes