Cemeteries as State Significant Development

A review into the cemetery and crematoria sector has identified that Greater Sydney is running out of burial space.

On 6 May 2022 amendments to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021 (Planning Systems SEPP) commenced. These changes allow new and expanded large-scale cemeteries with at least 5,000 new interment sites to be assessed as State significant development (SSD).

This change means that larger cemetery development proposals would be recognised in the same way as other key social infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, through the SSD assessment pathway.

Larger-scale cemeteries have the potential to make a substantial contribution to resolving the shortage of burial space in Greater Sydney. The SSD pathway will provide a clear and consistent assessment and decision-making process to help deliver burial space for future generations.

Why focus on cemeteries?

• Demand for burial space is forecast to continue to grow, resulting in a critical shortage of burial space.
• Additional burial space allows people from all cultural backgrounds to bury their loved ones following their cultural and religious beliefs.

What are the changes? 

New and expanded larger-scale cemeteries of at least 5,000 sites for the interment of human remains, other than cremated remains, will now be assessed as SSD.

Schedule 1 of the Planning Systems SEPP has been amended to enable this change to the assessment process. The SSD pathway will provide a consistent approach to the assessment of larger cemetery proposals across Greater Sydney and NSW.

The Explanation of Intended Effect (EIE), exhibited in late 2021, set out the proposed change.

View the Explanation of Intended Effect

More information:

For more information on the proposed changes, please contact the policy team: [email protected]

If you would like to speak with us in a language other than English, call 131 450. Ask for an interpreter in your language and then request to be connected to our Information Centre on 1300 305 695.