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Local Strategic Planning Statements and LEP updates

Welcome to the Local Strategic Planning Statement and LEP Updates page.

This page is where documents and data are found to assist councils to undertake their Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) and LEP review (Health Check).

The NSW Government through the coordination of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, the Greater Sydney Commission (within Sydney Metropolitan area) and other state government agencies are working together to assist all NSW councils to update their Local Environmental Plans to align with the directions/priorities of the Regional/District Plans and enhance strategic planning for local areas.

The Planning and Environment website contains useful information on strategic planning including LSPS - Guidelines for Councils to help guide councils through this process, workshops with councils and further information is available via the Knowledge Management tab.

Background

In March 2018, amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) introduced new requirements for councils to prepare a Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS). The Act recognises the critical role of councils in strategic planning for their local area. Each council will prepare an LSPS which will set out the 20-year vision for land-use in the local area, the special character and values that are to be preserved and how change will be managed into the future. The LSPS will implement actions in the regional and district plans, and the council’s own priorities in the community strategic plan it prepares under local government legislation. The LSPS will shape how the development controls in the local environmental plan evolve over time to meet the community's needs, with the LEP the main tool to deliver the council and community’s plan.

The Regional and District Plans alongside Infrastructure NSW’s State Infrastructure Strategy and Transport for NSW’s Future Transport 2056, provide a unique opportunity for all levels of Government to coordinate implementation and align infrastructure with growth.

Together with the introduction of LSPS, these initiatives put into practice the NSW Government’s policy emphasis on upfront strategic planning.

The NSW Government is working collaboratively with all NSW councils to complete the region’s hierarchy of strategic planning through the review and updating of LEPs to give effect to the Regional and District Plans.

Program

As part of NSW Government’s policy, A fair go for first home buyers: A plan to improve housing affordability, Greater Sydney councils are required to update their LEPs to give effect to the  District Plans.

Greater Sydney councils that have been selected to receive funding of up to $2.5 million, including the five volunteer councils, will have two years (to June 2020) to review and update their LEPs.

The remaining Greater Sydney councils have three years to review and update their LEPs.

Regional councils will follow a similar process to the Greater Sydney councils, however without the defined timeframes.

The general process has been divided into six key phases related to the deliverables of this project:

  • Phase 1 – LEP review (including the Technical Working Groups and UTS Education programs)
  • Phase 2 – Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement
  • Phase 3 – Final Local Strategic Planning Statement
  • Phase 4 – Prepare Planning Proposal / Gateway
  • Phase 5 – Draft LEP on exhibition
  • Phase 6 – Plan making
Resources

Resources for councils have also been included through the knowledge management tab provided via the Planning Portal, include:

  •  Guidance material of the Greater Sydney Commission's A Metropolis of Three Cities with an emphasis on infrastructure and collaboration, liveability, production and sustainability.
  •  Greener places including the Sydney Green Grid, jointly developed by the Government Architect NSW. 
  •  Transport for NSW documentation, guidance material, modelling and data.
  •  A Housing Mapping and Scenario Tool (HMST) developed by the Department which provides web-based access to housing supply, demographic, household and affordable housing data.The online tool assists councils in preparing local housing strategies and also allows councils to test various planning scenarios. You can access the Tool here.

Councils will need to register for user accounts prior to gaining access to the tool. Specific enquiries on the use of the Tool can be directed to the HMST team at [email protected].

Guides and Templates

Guides and templates have been prepared for councils to assist them with their local strategic planning statements and LEP update process.

The following have been prepared and are accessible through the knowledge management tab via the Planning Portal:

  • Local Strategic Planning Statements - Guideline for Councils and associated material.
  • LEP Review (Health Check) guidance material.
  • District and regional plan priorities/actions templates.
  • Local Housing Strategy Guideline - A step by step process for producing a local housing strategy. The guidance is intended to assist local authorities in setting a clear plan for housing in their area, over the next 10 and 20 years. The preparation of a local housing strategy is applicable to all metropolitan councils and some regional councils (if required by the relevant regional or district plan). 
Technical Info & Data Release

Technical information and data release has been provided through the knowledge management tab provided via the Planning Portal below.

Some of the information and data you can find include:

  • Guidelines for Public Transport Capable Infrastructure in Greenfield Sites
  • Technical Guidance: Urban Freight & Servicing
  • Technical Guidance: Active Transport
  • Bus Layover Guidelines
  • Future Transport 2056: NSW Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Plan
  • Future Transport 2056: Connected & Automated Vehicles Plan
  • 30 Minute City - Advice for LSPS

The Department has also created a community profile tool for councils to understand a places demographic population for a local area. The tool can also help regional planning assess the data contained in an LSPS and provide further guidance to councils.

Contact Us

In the first instance, please contact your respective Regional Team Officer.  For other enquiries please email [email protected]

Access Knowledge

In the first instance, please contact your respective Regional Team Officer. For other enquiries, please click here

Contact Us

In the first instance, please contact your respective Regional Team Officer. For other enquiries, please click the link below.

Click here to contact us

Access Knowledge Management

Councils can access the Knowledge Management application here to access and download the latest documents for your LEP Update.

Click here to access Knowledge Management
Last updated: 29/05/2023