MEDIA RELEASE 24 August 2022

As Northern Beaches Council moves towards developing a single planning system for the whole Council area, as required by the NSW Government, an important step in the process is the review of our conservation zones.

Conservation zones (previously known as Environmental zones) are used in a council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) to identify and restrict inappropriate development in areas with high environmental values or that are subject to hazards such as bushfire or flooding.

The Conservation Zone Review will help Council establish which land areas are included in conservation zones in the new Northern Beaches LEP. It contains a review of Conservation zones used in in our four current LEPs, a proposed methodology to establish a consistent set of Conservation zones across the area, and maps of proposed Conservation zones based on that methodology. The Review is based on comprehensive set of technical studies that identify and map areas subject to a range of hazards or with important environmental qualities.

Mayor Michael Regan said while most of the community will see little change to their existing zoning, we want to make sure we’ve got the balance right.

“The aim of this review is not just to deliver consistency across our area but to make sure we apply the right zoning to the right areas using the best available knowledge,” Mayor Regan said.

“We want to protect the precious environment that makes our area special, and also keep our community safe from hazards like flood and bushfire.

“Being in a conservation zone doesn’t mean you can’t build a new house or add an extension – just that you’ll need to take the environment or hazards into account, when you do so.

“The Review is informed by multiple technical studies and provides a strong starting point for a considered discussion about our future Conservation zones.

“Now it’s important we hear from our community. Have we got it right? I encourage everyone to have look at what is being proposed, see what it means for you, and let us know what you think.”

Detailed information will be available on Council’s Your Say website, including an online mapping tool showing affected residents what their current zone is and what is proposed.

Public exhibition of the Conservation Zones Review and Technical Reports starts Friday 2 September and continue for an eight-week period.

Visit the project on the Your Say website here to get involved.