At an Extraordinary Meeting last evening, the Northern Beaches Council resolved to submit the Planning Proposal for the creation of a new, consolidated Local Environmental Plan (LEP) to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for ‘Gateway Determination’. This is a legal requirement that must be met before public exhibition can take place.
The community will be asked for input on the draft land use controls and provisions – including proposed land use zoning – once the Minister has issued his Determination and the Planning Proposal has been updated by Council to meet any attached conditions.
The Northern Beaches is currently operating under four different LEPs and Development Control Plans (DCPs) which will be replaced by a single set of planning rules for the whole local government area. It is anticipated that a draft DCP will also be available for public comment at the same time as the public exhibition of the LEP Planning Proposal, subject to Council endorsement. This is currently anticipated for early- to mid 2025, depending on the timing and nature of the Minister’s Gateway Determination.
Once finalised, the LEP will provide:
- consistent controls and land use zoning throughout the LGA
- protection of land with identified high environmental values
- greater clarity for the community on what can and cannot be done on properties
- standard zones for the ‘Deferred Lands’ area (Oxford Falls Valley/ Belrose North), including a ‘sunset clause’ to ease the transition
- extended opportunities for dual occupancies in low rise residential areas
- better controls to protect urban character (e.g. FSR, landscaping, development controls in centres)
- sustainability controls for large-scaled urban developments.
The Planning Proposal does not propose significant new development. It proposes to implement Council’s Local Housing Strategy to provide more options for different types of housing to meet the demand for more affordable and diverse housing stock such as dual occupancy.
Mayor Sue Heins welcomed the submission to the Minister as the next essential step in achieving one LEP for the Northern Beaches.
“Council has spent more than four years talking to the community about what they value, completing studies on traffic, hazards, housing, workforce and the environment and considering what an LEP would look like for our area,” Mayor Heins said.
“The draft recognises the unique characteristics of our neighbourhoods and protects our precious environment while meeting our housing needs for the future.
“It will harmonise existing planning rules across the area and deliver more consistency and surety in planning outcomes.
“Once the NSW government have confirmed the draft meets requirements we will go back to the community once more so they can have their say.”
An LEP is a state government requirement for all local government areas to guide land use planning and development decisions within the area.