What is the difference between code assessment and impact assessment?

Each planning scheme sets out whether development is impact assessable, code assessable, accepted subject to requirements, or accepted. These are typically referred to as ‘categories of assessment’ or ‘categories of development’ and represents the range of assessment categories set out in the Planning Act 2016. Planning schemes identify whether applications such as 'making a material change of use' or 'reconfiguring a lot' are either impact assessable or code assessable. Stated simply, impact assessment applications need to be publicly notified and receive a broader assessment by the Council and any State referral agencies. With a higher level of scrutiny, impact assessable applications require particular care and attention. Code assessable applications do not require public notification but can still be complex and require a detailed assessment. On the other hand, some code assessable applications can be relatively simple and straightforward. The assessment by the assessment manager is limited to the 'assessment benchmarks' and is therefore a bound assessment.