Your say on updates to planning controls related to greening, amenity, parking and design excellence

Trees play a vital role in the health and wellbeing of our city.

A healthy and connected urban forest reduces the impact of adverse heat events, water runoff and pollution. To achieve our targets to increase tree canopy cover, new controls establish deep soil requirements in new developments, update tree and landscape requirements and incentivise rooftop gardens.

Biodiversity is important to supporting critical ecosystem services and improving community health and wellbeing. New requirements emphasise protecting existing habitat, connectivity and new habitats.

LEP amendments

Amendment 1 – Deep soil

Greater canopy coverage in our cities supports adapting to climate change. It helps reduce the urban heat island effect, improves liveability, provides clear air and manages water runoff. Deep soil zones are essential to retain existing trees and space for planting and healthy growth of new trees that provide canopy cover.

This amendment will ensure new development provides sufficient deep soil to support new tree growth and create greater canopy coverage.

This amendment applies to all land covered by the Sydney LEP 2012 and Green Square Town Centre LEPs.

Amendment 2 – Structures associated with green roofs

Green roofs create environmental and social benefits to building occupants such as residents and office workers. They provide space to support social activities, enhanced amenity and wellbeing.

This amendment encourages the use of commercial and apartment building roofs for communal greening and social spaces. The proposed changes allow extra height to support rooftop gardens and communal open space, subject to compatibility with neighbourhood character and minimal overshadowing. This won’t apply to Central Sydney, heritage items or in heritage conservation areas.

DCP amendments

Amendment 3 – Urban ecology

Tree canopy and urban ecology serve an important environmental role, but also help improve the appearance, resilience, economic value and liveability of the city.

This DCP amendment supports deep soil, landscaping and biodiversity in new development, standardising requirements for landscape plans, tree plantings, deep soil areas and green roofs.

New controls identify biodiversity corridors and management of existing habitat. Further guidance on plantings to support canopy growth and biodiversity are included in the amended landscape code.

We review private vehicle parking rates for new developments to ensure parking spaces reflect vehicle ownership trends. Overprovision of parking can contribute to traffic congestion and create other environmental impacts.

Car parking in new developments will be adjusted to reflect recent investment in public transport and accessibility improvements. Other changes streamline the provision of bicycle parking and electric vehicle charging devices.

LEP amendments

Amendment 3 – Parking in new developments

Our planning controls set maximum car parking rates for new development based on walkability and proximity to public transport, workplaces, services and retail.

Changes to on-site car parking controls for new buildings are proposed to reflect new public transport infrastructure, major developments and changes to the urban fabric. These changes only affect new development, no change to parking within existing buildings is proposed. The updated car parking rates are consistent with current levels of car ownership and use and will avoid overprovision of parking. Areas of lower accessibility will continue to receive higher car parking rates.

This amendment also proposes to remove planning barriers for electric vehicle charging units for community use and bicycle parking devices to streamline their provision.

These changes affect all land covered by Sydney LEP 2012 with updates to the applicable maps shown in Appendix B: Local Environmental Plan.

DCP amendments

Amendment 4 – Parking

This amendment updates the DCP parking requirements for electric vehicles, bicycle parking and freight.

Changes to the controls will make bicycle parking more accessible, provide more lockers for employees, and improve drop-off bicycle parking at childcare centres.

New provisions will guide installing, managing and use of charging infrastructure. This will help support the electrification of transport, balanced with our policy of reducing private car ownership. Other amendments will reflect changes in the loading and servicing needs of buildings, minimise the loss of on-street parking for new driveways, correct errors and improve its operation.

As Sydney grows, highly valued parks and open spaces will become more in-demand and at greater risk of being overshadowed by future development. Sunlight access to these important and well-used public spaces will be protected.

A revised approach to environmental noise will provide clear guidance for reducing impacts to homes on busy roads, and the desired future character for neighbourhoods will be strengthened, protecting existing character where necessary.

LEP amendments

Amendment 4 – Protection of sun access to Gunyama Park and Cook + Phillip Park

To ensure community amenity and enjoyment of these highly valued spaces is maintained, sunlight access to significant open spaces must be safeguarded. This amendment protects sunlight access to Cook + Phillip Park, Sydney and Gunyama Park, Zetland. New development on surrounding land would need to ensure it will not create overshadowing from 9am to 2pm at Cook + Phillip Park and 9am to 3pm at Gunyama Park.

These changes affect properties close to Gunyama Park and Cook + Philip Park.

DCP amendments

Amendment 5 – Locality statements

Locality statements set the context for development occurring in our local neighbourhoods. The locality statements in the DCP have been updated to focus on the desired future character of each area and reflect recent planning and urban design changes.

Amendment 7 – Environmental noise

Careful planning of the built environment helps prevent noise impacts. The proposed changes provide more guidance and options for reducing noise impacts in dwellings. The changes include a more expansive list of noise generating uses and noise sensitive land uses, including certain non-residential uses, and guidance for building siting and apartment layouts to mitigate noise to noise-sensitive parts of dwellings.

Amendment 8 – Sun protection of public parks and places

Gunyama Park is an important public space in Green Square. To ensure the amenity and primary function of the park is protected, a sun access plane will ensure it is not overshadowed by future development.

Cook + Phillip Park in Central Sydney will be protected from further overshadowing by new controls to protect existing sunlight access to places that are already surrounded by tall buildings.

Amendment 8A – Indoor air quality

There is a growing body of evidence highlighting negative health impacts from indoor gas appliances, including increased risk of asthma in children. Research has found gas appliances emit pollution even when not in use.

New requirements will be introduced for new residential development to include electric cooktops, ovens and space heating systems instead of gas systems. This will ensure the appropriate level of power supply and appliances are installed during the construction stage.

New provisions will be introduced to streamline sustainability initiatives in new and existing buildings. Updates to ecological sustainable development will be captured to reflect new opportunities and changes to state government policies.

LEP amendments

Amendment 5 – Exempt development – Solar energy systems

This amendment will make it easier to install solar energy systems in conservation areas. Barriers that restrict new systems will be removed to streamline installation and encourage further uptake – if they’re not visible from the street with minimal impacts to the building and neighbourhood character.

This amendment applies to all land covered by the Sydney LEP 2012 and Green Square Town Centre LEPs.

Amendment 6 – Basement intensive plant agriculture

New provisions will promote vertical farms in the basement of existing buildings to create environmental benefits through efficient food production for a local market with a low carbon footprint. This removes a significant barrier against the conversion of unused spaces to a productive and innovative use.

This amendment applies to land where Intensive plant agriculture is permitted – R2 Low Density Residential, E1 Local Centre, MU1 Mixed Use, SP1 Special Activities and SP5 Metropolitan Centre zones.

Amendment 7 – Superseded sustainability targets for some residential development

Outdated sustainability targets for specific developments will be removed from the controls as they have been superseded by stringent new state government standards. This will not impact our goal of ensuring better performing buildings.

These changes affect identified properties in Forest Lodge, Redfern, along Botany Road and for Central Sydney.

DCP amendments

Amendment 9 – Ecologically sustainable development

The DCP will be updated to reflect new opportunities and changes in ecologically sustainable development. This includes removing and updating outdated references, updated water efficiency targets, new criteria for rainwater tanks and solar energy systems, and new requirements to support state government policies.

Amendment 10 – Water and flood management

The water and flood management provisions of the DCP have been updated to improve their functionality and useability, introducing more detailed requirements for flood risk assessments, considerations for heritage buildings and new criteria for development at risk of flooding.

Good design creates great places. It’s one of the main aims of our planning framework that ensures new development positively contributes to the architectural quality of Sydney. This is supported by our competitive design policy.

Minor changes to the LEP and DCP are required to reflect amendments to our competitive design policy, which will help clarify and streamline processes, and provide greater flexibility for community housing providers.

LEP amendments

Amendment 8 – Design excellence processes and site-specific development control plans

This amendment is informed by 25 years experience of out competitive design processes. It will streamline approval for certain low-risk developments, giving ratepayers greater certainty and focus the competitive design process on larger projects.

Design excellence clauses will be updated to align with changes to our competitive design policy that has been approved by Council and introduces a new alternative process for affordable housing and social housing.

This amendment applies to all land covered by the Sydney LEP 2012 and Green Square Town Centre LEPs.

DCP amendments

Amendment 11 – Competitive design processes

This amendment clarifies the procedural requirements for design competitions helping to improve the useability and functionality of the DCP. This includes further clarifying how the additional floor space resulting from a design competition is calculated to ensure a consistent application.

Actions contained in the Central Sydney planning strategy will be achieved to ensure Sydney LEP 2012 supports the economic and cultural diversity of Central Sydney, contributes to the streetscape and continues to protect heritage buildings.

Provisions in the DCP have been restructured to achieve high quality urban design outcomes that reflect recent changes and desired future character.

LEP amendments

Amendment 9 – Change to boundaries of SP5 Metropolitan Centre zone

A minor change to the mapped boundary of Central Sydney and SP5 Metropolitan Centre zone will incorporate the Powerhouse Museum site.

This reflects the museum’s role as an important cultural and tourist facility, central to maintaining the diversity of global Sydney and fostering a cultural and creative city. No change to the heritage listing, building height and floor space controls for the site is proposed.

Amendment 10 – Additional uses for accommodation floor space

Five additional strategically important uses in Central Sydney will be incentivised to further support its role as the commercial core of the metropolitan area.

The additional floor space incentives in Central Sydney will be extended to social, cultural and diverse employment land uses, including registered clubs, public administration buildings and indoor recreation facilities.

This amendment applies to land in Central Sydney.

Amendment 11 – Superseded ‘opportunity sites’ in Central Sydney

As Central Sydney becomes busier, publicly accessible spaces for people walking and activities that add to street life and vibrancy of the area must be retained.

This amendment will ensure Central Sydney’s streets remain people-first spaces and removes an outdated provision that prioritised a consistent building alignment over publicly accessible space. We’ll continue to ensure universal access and improved street conditions.

These changes affect selected properties in Central Sydney.

Amendment 12 – Heritage floor space scheme

Our heritage floor space scheme will be updated to ensure its continued success and the ongoing conservation and protection of Central Sydney’s heritage buildings.

This amendment addresses building owner concerns and introduces flexibility to allow essential and minor works to a heritage building. This includes access or fire safety upgrades and modest increases to floor area. The restriction to the building’s height will remain.

DCP amendments

Amendment 12 – Central Sydney

To ensure future development in Central Sydney enhances the existing character, particularly in areas with high cultural significance and high-quality streetscapes, updates to the special character areas will improve clarity and incorporate recent changes to the urban fabric.

Ongoing and regular revisions to the planning framework is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the planning controls.

Several LEP clauses will be clarified to ensure they operate as intended and to correct omissions, and an outdated provision will be removed to help streamline applications.

Changes to the DCP will see minor adjustments to late night trading area boundaries and other controls will be clarified to correct anomalies and clarify requirements to ensure Sydney DCP 2012 remains a reliable and up to date document.

LEP amendments

Amendment 13 – Rezoning of land in Alexandria

Two parcels of land in Alexandria will be rezoned for the Green Square to Ashmore connector road and improve east west connectivity.

Amendment 14 – Development near zone boundaries

Properties affected by road widening orders require land use flexibility to ensure their use is not unreasonably restricted. This amendment improves the application of this clause, increasing the distance where land use flexibility is allowed from 6m to 12m and clarifies it will apply from the boundary between the 2 zones.

These changes affect land zoned SP1 Special Activities and SP2 Infrastructure in the Sydney LEP 2012.

Amendment 15 – 257 Sussex Street, Sydney

This amendment corrects an omission in our planning framework and provides a context-appropriate height of buildings and floor space ratio development control to the site.

This amendment clarifies the application of affordable housing contributions, providing consistency across the various affordable housing programs within our planning framework. This will also ensure that an affordable housing contribution is payable on modifications to a development consent where there is an increase in floor area.

Amendment 17 – Cross City Tunnel ventilation stack

Air quality considerations for new development near the Cross City Tunnel ventilation stack will be removed to streamline development assessments. New buildings were found to have had little impact on air quality and emission dispersal from the stack. Local air quality will continue to be monitored by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

DCP amendments

Amendment 13 – Late night trading

This amendment will help ensure the original intent of our late night trading controls can be achieved.

The proposed changes include clarifying low-impact land uses, how live performances is defined, including for outdoor trading, extended trading hours and exiting rules. Outdated references will be removed, and anomalies to the late night trading area boundaries corrected.

Amendment 14 – Signs and advertisements

Amendments to our signs and advertisements controls will help clarify their application. The current controls permitted innovative and creative approaches to signs, but in practice this has allowed some poor design. The provisions will be revised to provide more clarity with the requirements and well-designed signs with positive contributions to the public domain.

Amendment 15 – Miscellaneous

Minor amendments and updates to Sydney DCP 2012 to correct errors and inconsistencies, or to remove outdated references. This will ensure the DCP continues to be a reliable and up to date document.

Some areas in the City of Sydney’s area are not covered by the Sydney LEP 2012 and Sydney DCP 2012. These areas are subject to 'legacy' planning controls established to encourage urban renewal.

The local strategic planning statement identified these areas for integration into our comprehensive planning instruments, which can now take place as the redevelopment of these areas is mostly complete.

LEP amendments

Amendment 18 – Integration of planning controls

Certain parts of the City of Sydney’s area are covered by ‘legacy’ planning controls – state significant approvals or site-specific plans, resulting in a fragmented and complex set of planning controls. With development in these areas now mainly completed, these controls can be reintegrated into the Sydney LEP 2012.

This amendment translates the existing or as built controls into Sydney LEP 2012. The integration areas include the former Carlton United Brewery site on Broadway (Central Park), Harold Park, Glebe Affordable Housing Project, certain Redfern Waterloo Authority Area sites, and sites fronting Gardeners Road, Rosebery.

DCP amendments

Amendment 16 – Integration of planning controls

Some areas in the City of Sydney’s area have been subject to separate planning controls that shaped their redevelopment. Largely completed, these controls can be integrated into Sydney DCP 2012.

Integration with Sydney DCP will ensure that more of the City of Sydney’s area is covered by a single instrument, reducing confusion for our communities over which planning control applies.

Amendment 1 – Co-living and boarding houses

This amendment incorporates recent state government planning policy changes for boarding houses and co-living housing into the DCP.

The changes include amenity standards for co-living and boarding houses that are generally consistent with requirements for new apartments and provisions for plans of management and managing local amenity impacts.

Amendment 2 – Flexible and adaptable dwellings

As apartments become the dominant form of housing in the city, this amendment includes changes to make apartments more suitable for a wider range of families, households and people.

The changes support greater housing diversity, including new guidelines for adaptable dwellings, requirements to ensure apartments are suitable for families with children, and communal open space to better meet the needs of families with children and people with disability.

As part of the Haymarket and Chinatown revitalisation strategy, we’re proposing 2 amendments to the DCP to enhance Haymarket’s distinct character.

Part of DCP amendment 12: Changes to the street wall heights in Haymarket / Chinatown special character area

To ensure future development in Haymarket enhances existing character, particularly the area’s fine grain which contributes to the streetscape and activity, we’re proposing updates to the special character area. To support the renewal of small sites the amendments will increase the street wall height from 15m to 35m in most instances where amenity requirements can still be met.

Part of DCP amendment 14: Updating the area and provisions for Chinatown signage precinct

The amendment helps to ensure signage is vibrant, colourful and contributes to creating an exciting street environment. The style, diversity and abundance of signs will set Chinatown apart from the rest of Central Sydney, including the use of LED neon. The signage precinct area is proposed to be expanded to include Thaitown and the entirety of Dixon Street.

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