Western Regional Planning Panels will continue to be held by teleconferences into 2021, the government has confirmed.
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The WRPP's hearing of a solar farm development near Orange on Tuesday was criticised for not being held as a public meeting by figures including Orange mayor Reg Kidd.
However a spokesman for the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment said teleconferencing would continue until it was reviewed next year.
"The Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation requires all public planning panel meetings to be held by virtual means during the COVID-19 period," he said.
He said teleconferencing still enabled all members of the public to speak or listen to the proceedings.
He said people needed to pre-register to allow time for an agenda to be prepared.
The solar farm judgement is due next week.
The panel hearing was chaired by Garry Fielding who told the teleconference the decision would be released on the panel's website within seven days of the hearing.
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