An Integrated Development Approval (IDA) is required if the action requires approvals under more than one piece of legislation, such as:

• The Heritage Act 1977 (for actions including demolition, damage or despoliation, excavation, development, display of notices or advertisements, or alteration of any item or part item with state heritage value), and
• The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (actions impacting on an Aboriginal object, place, land, activity or person).

To obtain an IDA, the proponent must provide adequate information to state agencies so they can provide general terms of approval to the consent authority, or indicate approval will not be given before development consent is granted. The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) is responsible for issuing Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permits (AHIPs) under s90 of the NPW Act and the Heritage Council (or the OEH Heritage Division under delegation) is responsible for approvals under S57 of the Heritage Act.

All AHIP applicants are required to undertake consultation with Aboriginal people who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the cultural significance of Aboriginal objects and/or places relevant to the proposed project area. More information is available in the Aboriginal cultural heritage consultation requirements for proponents 2010.

OEH recommends that this process also be used where a proponent may be uncertain about whether or not their proposed activity may have the potential to harm Aboriginal objects or places.