The nine focus areas include:
Planning Systems
1. A strategic and inclusive planning system for the community and environment
Design and Place
2. Delivering well-design places that enhance quality of life, the environment and the economy
Biodiversity and Conservation
3. Preserving, conserving and managing NSW’s natural environment and heritage
Resilience and Hazards
4. Managing risks and building resilience in the face of hazards
Transport and Infrastructure
5. Providing well-designed and located transport and infrastructure integrated with land use
Housing
6. Delivering a sufficient supply of safe, diverse and affordable housing
Industry and Employment
7. Growing a competitive and resilient economy that is adaptive, innovation and delivers jobs
Resources and Energy
8. Promoting the sustainable use of NSW’s resources and transitioning to renewable energy
Primary Production
9. Protecting and supporting agricultural lands and opportunities for primary production
The Minister’s Planning Principles are currently on exhibition here on the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s website, and are scheduled to come into force from 1 March 2022.
The Minister’s Planning Principles are intended to be issued as a Direction pursuant to 9.1 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, which states:
“9.1 Directions by the Minister
(1) The Minister may direct a public authority or person having functions under this Act or an environmental planning instrument to exercise those functions at or within such times as are specified in the direction.”
It is expected that the Direction to be issued will require consent authorities to take into consideration the Planning Principles when exercising their decision making functions.
The introduction of the Minister’s Planning Principles will coincide with the NSW government’s consolidation of the 54 existing State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs) into 14. Each of the 14 new SEPPS are intended to align with one of the 9 Planning Principles, as shown in the table below:
Copies of the proposed consolidated SEPPs are currently on exhibition (except for the Housing SEPP which came into force on 26 November 2021) and can be viewed here on the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s website. All of the consolidated SEPPs and are scheduled to come into force from 1 March 2022.
The contents of this publication are for reference purposes only. This publication does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Specific legal advice should always be sought separately before taking any action based on this publication.
