The Hills Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2012

The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2012 (as amended) is the principal planning instrument affecting land use within the Shire. The plan, although prepared by Council, is vetted by the State Government to ensure consistency with Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979, State Environmental Planning Policies before being gazetted by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.

The purpose of the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) is to define what purpose land may be used for. The plan consists of a written statement and a number of maps.

The written LEP statement includes the legal definitions of a wide range of land use activities and land use tables divided into different zones to describe what uses are permissible, or prohibited under the given zones. The plan also contains a number of special provisions to address such issues as heritage conservation, subdivision and land acquisition. The zoning map then depicts graphically the application of the various zones to specific areas of land.

In general terms, the LEP is used by Council to determine if a land use or activity is permissible on any given property. The LEP expresses Council's broad land use strategy for the Shire.

State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP) specifies exempt and complying development under that Policy. The Codes SEPP has state-wide application and commenced on 27 February 2009.

A copy of the Codes SEPP is available at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/housingcode

Further information on the General Housing Code is available at: www.planning.nsw.gov.au/housingcode

For further information please email planningreform@planning.nsw.gov.au or call the Department of Planning’s Information Centre on Freecall 1300 305 695 or +61 2 9228 6333.