May 26 - June 15, 2024: Issue 627

 

see Northern Beaches Council’s draft Local Environment Plan 

Northern Beaches Council’s new Local Environment Plan moved a stage closer to completion when it went to the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel for consideration last Thursday.

The item, known technically as the “Planning Proposal for the new Northern Beaches Local Environmental Plan”, can now be viewed on the planning panel Agenda for the meeting of May 23, 2024.

This was subsequently passed by the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel. The Decision may be read in the Minutes for that Meeting.

The panel is meant to provide planners with independent advice about the proposal, before it goes to an extraordinary council meeting on June 17 for approval by councillors.

The draft should next move to the NSW Planning Department for a “Gateway determination” - where it checks technical information and that the appropriate authorities have been consulted. 

Finally, the LEP will return to council for exhibition, which staff estimate is likely to be in the first quarter of next year.

Councillors have received several briefings about the draft, the latest last week, and in good news, residents will see that all Pittwater’s current Conservation Zones will be retained - with a few extra added. 

Staff say there are significant changes to the LEP - so the delay until it returns for official public exhibition will be useful for considering three documents comprising it. 

Disappointingly, staff have not opted to include limits on excavation, which many in Pittwater have called for, saying that the combination of Floor Space Ratios and Landscape Ratios should do the same job.

Additionally, they say councils with excavation controls in place are having trouble defending them in practice.

Councillor Miranda Korzy.

Previous reports


razing the hillside at Palm Beach. Photo supplied