The program will include an online payment option to support the use of the NSW Planning Portal, which will be mandatory for applicants from January 1, 2021 .

DAs will continue to be accepted, assessed and determined by council despite a system transition taking place during December 7-11.

"The new IT system is a further step in aligning development assessment processes which will ultimately lead to a reduction in assessment times," MidCoast Council liveable communities director, Paul De Szell said.

Updates to the online DA tracker will not occur during the transition period and some processing delays may be experienced as staff undertake manual receipting at customer service centres during this time.

The online payment services also will be interrupted between December 7-11, however payment can be made via BPAY or in person.

"Members of the community will still be able to come in and do business with us at any of our customer service centres, and development applications can continue to be lodged during this period," Mr De Szell said.

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