Sydney Metro is seeking approval from the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development for the construction and operation of Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport. This is because the project is subject to three separate statutory schemes that govern the planning and assessment process for the project:

• NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) applies to works located outside the boundary of Western Sydney International (off-airport)
• Commonwealth Airports Act 1996 (Airports Act) applies to works located within the boundary of Western Sydney International (on-airport)
• Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act):
• for works located north of Western Sydney International (off-airport), assessment and approval is required under Parts 8 and 9 of the EPBC Act to address impacts on listed threatened species and communities and Commonwealth land
• for works located south of Western Sydney International (off-airport), impacts on matters of national environmental significance and Commonwealth land have already been assessed and approved under a strategic assessment in accordance with Part 10 of the EPBC Act.

The land to which the different statutory regimes apply is shown in the interactive map, under Planning and assessment process.