Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023

Formerly the Harmonisation Planning Proposal

On 2 March 2023, the Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023 came into effect, bringing in new LEP controls for the City of Parramatta Local Government Area.

To access the Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023 (Paramatta LEP 2023), head to the NSW legislation website.


Background

As a result of council boundary changes in May 2016, Council commenced the Land Use Planning Harmonisation process. The focus was to consolidate five Local Environmental Plans that applied to the City of Parramatta (‘the City’) and deliver a single consolidated LEP to apply to the new City of Parramatta.

As the first stage of this process, Council prepared the Land Use Planning Harmonisation Discussion Paper. This reviewed the differences between the existing LEPs that applied in the City, and informed the policy direction for the Parramatta LEP 2023. The Discussion Paper similarly informed the Harmonisation DCP project.

The Parramatta LEP 2023 replaces the previous LEPs that applied within the City, and is the primary legal planning document for guiding development and land use decisions made by Council.

Note: Proposals relating to the Parramatta CBD were exhibited separately. Learn more on the Parramatta City Centre LEP webpage.


Public Exhibition of the Harmonisation Planning Proposal

Council exhibited the Harmonisation Planning Proposal between August and October 2020. Despite the exhibition period concluding on 12 October 2020, the exhibition materials are still available for viewing under the heading ‘Planning proposal documentation’ on this page. Here you will also find a Community Summary Sheet which summarised the exhibited version of the Planning Proposal in plain English, as well as answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

A copy of the Planning Proposal and its supporting documents as exhibited from August to October 2020 can be accessed under the heading ‘Planning proposal documentation as exhibited’.

As a result of the changes to the Parramatta LEP 2023 by the Department at finalisation, this material no longer reflects the finalised Parramatta LEP 2023.


Finalisation of Planning Proposal

Following public exhibition, Council endorsed the Parramatta Harmonisation Planning Proposal material with changes in July 2021. An explanation of these changes is summarised under the heading ‘Historic Summary of Council Endorsed Changes (Post-Exhibition)’.

Council officers submitted the endorsed Harmonisation Planning Proposal package to the Department of Planning and Environment (Department) in September 2021. To access the planning proposal documentation as submitted to the Department on September 2021 for finalisation purposes, head to our Land Use Planning Harmonisation webpage.

The Department finalised the new Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023 on 2 March 2023. In finalising the LEP, the Department made some key policy changes to the version that was adopted by Council in 12 July 2021. For a summary of those changes, head to our Land Use Planning Harmonisation webpage.


Summary of Proposed Changes

On 12 July 2021, Council approved the draft LEP with minor changes other than those recommended in the Council Report.

To read Council’s decision, you can access the 12 July Council Business Paper and Meeting Minutes - Item 17.3 HERE.

The primary focus of the draft LEP is harmonisation (consolidation) of the existing planning controls that apply across the City of Parramatta. However, in order to create a single LEP some changes have been proposed to the planning controls applying to parts of the LGA.

Council approved the following changes to the draft LEP:

  • changes to the types of development that are allowed in certain areas. In low density neighbourhoods (R2 zoned land), this includes not allowing dual occupancies to be built in sensitive locations or on small sites; and prohibiting new indoor recreation facilities (such as 24-hour gyms)
  • changes to bring a consistent approach to height and floor space ratio controls applying to residential zones; and
  • targeted changes to the zoning of some sites to address inconsistencies and anomalies across current land use plans.

Council did not approve the following proposed changes to the draft LEP. These matters will not be included in the package of changes proposed under the draft LEP for finalisation. They will be further investigated by Council and actioned separately:

  • Planning Proposal seeking to prohibit dual occupancy in Simpson Street, Lois Street and Naomi Street South, Winston Hills (by adding the properties in these streets to the areas on the Dual Occupancy Prohibition Map).
  • Council will re-examine the approach to permitting Places of Public Worship in the R2 Residential Low Density zone.

Following these changes, Council officers submitted the endorsed Harmonisation Planning Proposal package to the Department of Planning and Environment in September 2021.

As a result of the changes to the Parramatta LEP 2023 by the Department, this material no longer reflects the finalised Parramatta LEP 2023.

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