Council is publicly exhibiting housekeeping and miscellaneous amendments to The Hills Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2019 and The Hills Development Control Plan (DCP) 2012. The intention of proposed changes is to refine the planning framework to ensure that it is up to date, remains fit for purpose and supports quality development outcomes.
The planning proposal for The Hills LEP 2019 includes several administrative and housekeeping changes that primarily address mapping anomalies, reflect current land ownership and use and refine specific LEP clauses to improve clarity, consistency and alignment with current strategic objectives and land use outcomes.
The proposed written instrument changes relate to:
- Introducing minimum lot size requirements for shop top housing where permitted in rural village and residential zones (Clause 4.1A)
- Extending the application of the clause relating to the repair and rebuilding of dwellings houses and secondary dwellings following a natural disaster (Clause 5.9)
- Introducing exempt controls for real estate signage in rural areas (Schedule 2)
- Introducing exempt controls for advertising enabled electric vehicle charging units (Schedule 2)
- Updating references to local and state heritage items (Schedule 5 and associated Heritage Map).
The proposed mapping changes relate to:
- Correcting map legends in line with NSW Government’s employment zone reforms
- Rezoning Endeavour Energy sites to SP2 Infrastructure
- Rezoning some land zoned SP2 Infrastructure and removing from Land Reservation Acquisition mapping, where land has been acquired by the relevant public authority or acquisition has not proceeded
- Rezoning some land RE1 Public Recreation where it forms part of Council’s reserves and removal of this zone where land forms part of public roads
- Review of Land Reservation Acquisition Map and land zoned SP2 Infrastructure to add or remove land identified for local road widening
- Correcting Land Zoning and associated Maps to reflect current cadastral boundaries and function of the land.
Council received a Gateway Determination for the planning proposal on 9 March 2026. Delegation for making the Local Environmental Plan has been issued to Council under the Gateway Determination.
The proposed administrative and housekeeping changes for The Hills DCP 2012 seek to ensure that the plan is up to date and user friendly, allowing the Shire to be clearly and effectively governed in terms of land use planning and management. A number of targeted miscellaneous changes are also proposed that respond to evolving policy settings, development trends and operational issues that have been identified through the development assessment process.
The proposed miscellaneous content changes to the DCP relate to:
- Public domain and character controls
- Waste management provisions
- Definitions of site coverage and outbuildings
- Refinement of controls for terrace style housing developments
- Refinement of parking requirements for certain development types
- Refinement of restricted development area mapping in certain locations and guidance on the intent of these areas
- Updated sustainability and environmental requirements for higher density development types.
Public Exhibition Period: Monday, 28 September 2026 to Monday, 9 November 2026.
Have Your Say: Housekeeping & Miscellaneous Amendments to The Hills LEP & DCP
Submission Deadline: 5pm on Monday, 9 November 2026.
