Strategic Land Use Planning

Home
>
Develop
>
Strategic Land Use Planning

What is Strategic Land Use Planning?

Strategic planning aims to maintain the natural values and character of the Hilltops Council area, while creating a place of opportunity and investment for business and those who live in and visit the area.

Hilltops Council’s strategic planning team prepare the documents that implement the land use planning vision for the Council Area. The Local Strategic Planning Statement, Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plans are some of these main documents and they guide land use planning and development at a local government level.

Council’s Strategic Planning team undertake a range of projects relating to the management of land release, strategic planning, redevelopment of established areas, rezonings and the formulation of Local Environmental Plans, Development Control Plans and Development Contributions Plans.

All plans must be publicly exhibited following their preparation and before adoption by Council.

The team is also responsible for assisting Council in the preparation and review of strategic land use related actions that have been identified in Council’s Community Strategic Plan and the Hilltops Economic Action Plan.

Hilltops Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

Active From 1 February 2023

A new local environmental plan covering all of Hilltops comes into effect on Wednesday 1 February 2023.

The new Hilltops Local Environmental Plan 2022 is a major step towards consolidating and upgrading all land use planning controls and standards in use across Hilltops.

The new Plan replaces the three separate LEPs that Council currently uses. It revises, updates and consolidates all the previous land-use plans that covered the Boorowa Shire, Harden Shire and Young Shire Council areas.

The Plan is now the single reference for ‘day to day’ planning and development decisions for the Council, community and industry.

The Plan also progresses the short term strategic objectives of Hilltops 2040, the official Local Strategic Planning Statement for Hilltops. It picks up the latest State Government planning legislation and policy including the use of Employment Zones and Conservation Zones. Hilltops is also one of the first Councils in NSW to use the digital LEP Mapping format for the Hilltops LEP on the NSW Planning Portal.

The Hilltops LEP wording and new mapping are included as a part of the Plan.

To view the LEP written instrument click here: Written Instrument

To view the LEP Maps click here: Mapping

Development Applications Under Hilltops LEP

Development Applications lodged on or after 1 February 2023 must be prepared in line with the provisions of the new Hilltops Local Environmental Plan 2022.

Any application lodged on the NSW Planning Portal will need to be received by Council before 1 February 2023 to be assessed against the existing planning controls.

*Applications lodged to the Planning Portal but have not been received by Council before 1 February 2023 will be assessed against the new Plan.

Hilltops 2040 – Hilltops Local Strategic Planning Statement

Hilltops 2040 – Hilltops Local Strategic Planning Statement is the endorsed strategic land use plan for the Hilltops area. It was developed in accordance with the directions of the State to establish a Local Strategic Planning Statement to inform future planning decisions in the short, medium and long term.

All other local planning instruments are intended to further the objectives of Hilltops 2040. This includes the Draft Hilltops LEP and proposed review of Hilltops DCPs and Infrastructure Charges Plans.

Hilltops 2040 sets the position of Hilltops within the region and New South Wales and our needs and expectations from State and Commonwealth governments to see Hilltops communities successful, productive and continuing to be great places to live in well into the future. It also provides the strategic direction required to inform local land use and infrastructure planning and management, providing local outcomes that reflect and respond to the various landscapes and communities across the council area.

Hilltops 2040 was endorsed and adopted by Hilltops Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 24 June 2020.

To view the Hilltops 2040 – Hilltops Local Strategic Planning Statement click here: Hilltops 2040

For further information on the scope and roles of a Local Strategic Planning Statement please see NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment Website – Part 3 Strategic Planning.

Current Projects