SSD Access Reports NSW: Answering SEARs on Accessibility
A planner holds Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements that include accessibility and an EIS deadline. The access report maps each relevant SEAR, reviews the concept against NCC Parts D4, E3 and F4, the Premises Standards and AS 1428, and sets out what will be re-checked at Construction Certificate stage. NSW building work is assessed under NCC 2022 Amendment 2 until NCC 2025 is adopted in NSW on 1 May 2027. Sydney Access Consultants authors the report and Performance Solutions; we are not the consent authority and not the certifier.
When does an SSD need an access report?
The report is driven by the SEARs. An access report is needed where the issued SEARs raise accessibility, often under built form, design quality or accessibility headings. It is not automatic for every SSD.
Industry-specific versus project-specific SEARs
Eligible projects receive industry-specific SEARs within seven days without a scoping report. Others require a scoping report and receive project-specific SEARs. Source: Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure SSD guidelines for preparing a scoping report.
Typical project types
Seniors housing with residential aged care, schools, hospitals, university buildings and large mixed-use developments. See the related sector pages for seniors housing SEPP accessibility, hospital access reports NSW, university campus access reports NSW and aged care access reports.
What SEARs usually ask for on accessibility
Common patterns include demonstrating equitable and dignified access, compliance with the NCC, the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards 2010 and AS 1428, and access across the site and to the public domain. Check the actual SEARs issued for the project on the Major Projects portal rather than relying on a generic paraphrase.
The SEARs reporting table
A useful SSDA access report opens with a table that lists each relevant SEAR item, the section of the report that addresses it, and a short summary of the response. This helps the Department and agencies see that every requirement has been answered.
What an SSDA access report includes
Concept-stage review against NCC Parts D4 (access), E3 (lifts) and F4 (sanitary facilities), plus the Premises Standards and the AS 1428 series. Site-wide and public domain access covers entries, continuous accessible paths of travel between buildings, car parking, drop-off and landscape grades. Items that cannot be fully resolved at concept stage are flagged for design development and CC stage. Where a Performance Solution is likely (heritage fabric, steep sites, existing buildings retained), the report identifies the Performance Requirements and the proposed assessment method. See performance solutions and heritage access performance solutions.
SSD access report versus council DA access report
An SSD report is assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (or the Independent Planning Commission) against the SEARs. It is publicly exhibited with the EIS and must answer agency submissions. A council DA report responds to DCP controls and a council request. The SSD report should be written so it can be updated for the Construction Certificate rather than rewritten. Department guidelines also require EIS and modification documents to be accessible PDFs. See DA vs CC access report.
From SSD consent to Construction Certificate
Conditions of consent commonly require access compliance to be demonstrated at CC. The SSD report should be structured so it can be updated. Response to submissions is handled by answering agency or community submissions on accessibility with the same clause-by-clause approach.
When to engage an access consultant on an SSD
At scoping or SEARs request stage, before the concept design is fixed. Early review avoids redesign after exhibition and lets any Performance Solution be flagged in the EIS rather than discovered at CC.
How Sydney Access Consultants helps on major projects
SEARs review, SSDA access report, design-team workshops, RFI and submissions responses, CC-stage report and Performance Solutions. Call (02) 9586 3111 for a fee.
FAQs
Do I need an access report for a State Significant Development in NSW?
Usually, when the Secretary's Environmental Assessment Requirements raise accessibility. The access report responds to each relevant SEAR and shows how the concept design can meet NCC Parts D4, E3 and F4, the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards 2010 and the AS 1428 series, and what will be resolved at Construction Certificate stage.
How is an SSD access report different from a council DA access report?
An SSD report is assessed by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure against the SEARs, is publicly exhibited with the EIS and must answer agency submissions. It should open with a table mapping each SEAR to its response, and be written so it can be updated for the Construction Certificate rather than rewritten.
When should an access consultant be engaged on an SSD?
At scoping or SEARs request stage, before the concept design is fixed. Early review avoids redesign after exhibition and lets any Performance Solution be flagged in the EIS rather than discovered at CC.
Call Sydney Access Consultants on (02) 9586 3111.
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