FAQ

The Local Strategic Planning Statement will provide guidance on:

·  The future direction for employment, housing and environmental management

·  What the local character of the Sutherland Shire will be in the future

·  What types of development will be appropriate

Council, in consultation with the community will develop the following:

·  Local Strategic Planning Statement

·  A range of studies and investigations

·  Local Housing Strategy

·  Local Environmental Plan

·  Development Control Plan

The LSPS is focused on land use, whereas the CSP is focused on the direction of Council’s functions.

You can read Council’s Community Strategic Plan here.

The Greater Sydney Commission has set 5 and 20 year housing targets based on Greater Sydney growing by another 1.7million people by 2036. The Greater Sydney Commission’s South District Plan has set Sutherland Shire a five year target of 5,200 additional dwellings from 2016 to 2021.

The State government continues policies and set population targets which all councils are required to meet. Council has a mandatory responsibility, under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, to prepare housing strategies to meet the NSW State Government housing targets, and bring them into effect through a Local Environmental Plan (LEP).

Current population projections show that NSW will grow to 9.9 million people by 2036 and these new residents will need somewhere to live.  According to Profile ID (https://profile.id.com.au/sutherland) the official estimate population of the Sutherland Shire as of the 30th June 2017, is 227,546. The population has grown by just over 5,000 people, or 2.29%, over the last five year period.

There are approximately 84,453 dwellings in Sutherland Shire as of 2016 (ABS). The number of dwellings grew by a total of 1,765 or 2.1% in the last five year census period. Whilst development does add to Council’s revenue it also increases demand on our existing infrastructure accelerating changes in key benchmarks such as our Infrastructure Backlog Ratio and Infrastructure Renewal Ratio. Further information is available in on our Long Term Financial Plan.

For more information about our housing strategy and growth targets that have been set for the area, please visit: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Development/Local-Environmental-Plan-LEP/Local-Environmental-Plan-2015-LEP-2015/Key-Topics/Strategies/Housing-Strategy

Yes, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 requires that each NSW council prepare an LSPS.

Each dwelling within a residential flat building constructed in and around our village centres is levied $20,000 for the provision of additional (or improvement) of open space so that it will continue to meet the need created by the additional residents.  However, there are statutory constraints that control how contributions are levied and Council must also plan for the costs of maintaining these assets into the future. A schedule that details where these funds will be spent is included in Council’s Development Contribution Plans.

The NSW government limits Council to applying a maximum levy of $20,000 per dwelling in a residential flat building.  This sum is insufficient to meet the full demand for new and upgraded infrastructure that is created by new residents.  Increased demand for additional parking, improved roads and stormwater drains, upgraded pools and other community infrastructure must be funded from rate revenue or grants and subsidies from other levels of government.  Likewise, the ongoing maintenance of the new and improved assets cannot be funded through this levy. 

For more information on development contributions visit:  http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/files/sharedassets/website/document-library/land-use-and-planning/planning/2017-02-s94-fact-sheet-2.pdf

For more information about the Development Application (DA) process visit: http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Development/Development-Applications/The-DA-Process

The LSPS is separate document that informs the LEP. It may inform changes to the development standards and strategic controls of the LEP.

The NSW Government sets each Council in greater Sydney a timeframe to review its LEP and align it with the District Plan. Sutherland Shire Council was given three years to complete this process. This means that Council is required to submit a refreshed LEP to the State government by mid 2020 for initial ‘gateway” approval. Once this is received the draft LEP will be exhibited for community input. The current target is to have the amended LEP in place by March 2021. The preparation of the LSPS is the first step in this process. The LSPS outlines how Council will give effect to the requirements of the South District Plan and address the goals of the Community Strategic Plan.

Community engagement in relation to the LSPS forms the first stage of consultation for the review of the LEP. There will also be further opportunities for engagement as the draft plan progresses.

Council will develop a comprehensive community engagement strategy as part of this process. The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979 requires at least 28 day public exhibition period. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment will also make specific directions in relation to how stakeholders are notified of the draft plan.

The DCP will require review to ensure it supports changes made to the LEP. This process can only proceed once officers know the extent of changes likely to be included in the revised LEP.

Council will develop a comprehensive community engagement strategy as part of this process.

Greater Sydney Region councils (which includes Sutherland Shire), are required to commence exhibition of their draft statement by 1 October 2019 and have their final version in place by 31 March 2020.

Council’s recent consultation work for the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) has informed the draft LSPS. The legislation requires a draft LSPS to be exhibited for a minimum of 28 days when the community and other stakeholders will be able to make a submission on the LSPS. Council plans to consult with the community for several months.

Often development standards or other controls are not accompanied with an explanation of their origin or reason. The LSPS will provide consistent strategic reasoning for these controls that can be used when preparing a development application or in an assessment report.

The LSPS will outline long term planning for the area and provide reasoning for resulting changes to development standards or controls in Council’s LEP or DCPs. These controls are used when applicants prepare a development application or when making an assessment. 

The LSPS can be used to clarify or justify development standards within the context of the strategic planning framework should an application be appealed in the Land and Environment Court.

The LSPS focuses on the long-term vision and priorities for land use in the local area. As part of this, it helps to translate the vision and priorities expressed in the CSP, and other strategies, into specific land use planning actions.

Council’s CSP is required under the Local Government Act to have regard to economic, social, environmental and governance matters, and to identify the main priorities and aspirations of the community. These aspirations are then reflected in the Council’s suite of strategic plans – such as recreation strategies, economic development strategies, cultural plans etc – and translated into specific actions in Council’s four-year delivery program and annual operational plan. Land use planning priorities can be identified through this process. These priorities can then be expressed in the LSPS and ultimately implemented through the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and other mechanisms.

The Greater Sydney Commission is the statutory body responsible for planning for the future growth of the Sydney Region 

You can visit their website here.

The South District Plan is the Greater Sydney Commission’s plan for the South District which consists of the following Local Government Area: Canterbury-Bankstown, Georges River and Sutherland Shire.

It is a 20 year plan to manage growth and covers economic, social and environmental matters of the South District. It includes actions and priorities around four themes of liveability, productivity, infrastructure and environment. 

You can read the South District Plan here.

The Greater Sydney Commission has set 5 and 20 year housing targets based on Greater Sydney growing by another 1.7million people by 2036. The Greater Sydney Commission’s South District Plan has set Sutherland Shire a five year target of 5,200 additional dwellings from 2016 to 2021.

Council has a mandatory responsibility, under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, to prepare housing strategies to meet the NSW State Government housing targets, and bring them into effect through a Local Environmental Plan (LEP).

Current population projections show that NSW will grow to 9.9 million people by 2036 and these new residents will need somewhere to live.  According to Profile ID (https://profile.id.com.au/sutherland) the official estimate population of the Sutherland Shire as of the 30th June 2017, is 227,546. The population has grown by just over 5,000 people, or 2.29%, over the last five year period.

There are approximately 84,453 dwellings in Sutherland Shire as of 2016 (ABS). The number of dwellings grew by a total of 1,765 or 2.1% in the last five year census period. Whilst development does add to Council’s revenue it also increases demand on our existing infrastructure.

Council has a Housing Strategy to 2031 but is required to prepare a new Housing Strategy to 2936. This is a key action identified in the South District Plan and Council's draft LSPS. For more information about our current Housing Strategy, please visit: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Development/Local-Environmental-Plan-LEP/Local-Environmental-Plan-2015-LEP-2015/Key-Topics/Strategies/Housing-Strategy

Each new additional dwelling constructed in and around our village centres is levied $20,000 for the provision of additional (or improvement) of open space so that it will continue to meet the need created by the additional residents.  All development outside of our centre is levied 1% of the construction cost.  However, there are statutory constraints that control how contributions are levied and Council must also plan for the costs of maintaining these assets into the future. A schedule that details where these funds will be spent is included in Council’s Development Contribution Plans.

The NSW government limits Council to applying a maximum levy of $20,000 per dwelling.  This sum is insufficient to meet the full demand for new and upgraded infrastructure that is created by new residents.  Increased demand for additional parking, improved roads and stormwater drains, upgraded pools and other community infrastructure must be funded from rate revenue or grants and subsidies from other levels of government.  Likewise, the ongoing maintenance of the new and improved assets cannot be funded through this levy. 

For more information on development contributions visit:  http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/files/sharedassets/website/document-library/land-use-and-planning/planning/2017-02-s94-fact-sheet-2.pdf

For more information about the Development Application (DA) process visit: http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Development/Development-Applications/The-DA-Process