What is the wider strategic context Draft LEP 2013?

An LEP must be prepared within the broader strategic and policy framework of state and local government set down by legislation, strategies, policies and best practice guidelines and notes.

Acts and Regulations

These include the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP & A Act) and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.  The EP & A Act  provides the framework for the NSW planning system and the mechanism for the preparation of local environmental plans.

Local Planning Directions – Section 117(2) Directions

The Minister for Planning, under section 117(2) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) issues directions that relevant planning authorities such as local councils must follow when preparing planning proposals for new LEPs. The directions cover the following broad categories:

• employment and resources
• environment and heritage
• housing, infrastructure and urban development
• hazard and risk
• regional planning
• local plan making

An analysis of the application and consistency of Draft LEP 2013 with all applicable S117(2) Directions is included as Appendix 2 of the Planning Proposal.

All Local Planning Directions can be found on the Department of Planning Infrastructure website

State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs)

State environmental planning policies (SEPPs) deal with issues significant to the state and people of New South Wales.  They establish a range of policies that apply to all or part of areas across NSW.  SEPPs are higher order plans and override any provision within a Local Environmental Plan.

In preparing an LEP Council must ensure that its provisions are consistent with the relevant SEPPs.  An analysis of the application and consistency of the Draft LEP 2013 with all SEPPs has been undertaken and is included in Appendix 1 of the Planning Proposal.

A full version of each SEPP can be accessed at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au

LEP Practice Notes and Circulars

The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure have also issued a number of practice notes and circulars to guide the development of local plans.  These have been used to inform the development of Draft LEP 2013.

You can view these at http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/lep-practice-notes-and-planning-circulars.

Lithgow City Council Strategic Documents

A number of Council’s strategic planning documents have been used to inform the preparation of Draft LEP 2013.  The community was extensively engaged and consulted in development of the whole range of these documents. The key documents that pull all of these together are the:

Lithgow Community Strategic Plan 2026 and

Lithgow Land Use Strategy 2010-2030

The Community Strategic Plan 2025 sets out the community’s vision for the strategic direction of the Lithgow local government area.

The Lithgow Land Use Strategy 2010 -2030 refines these community visions into a planning framework to guide settlement and land use management and growth.

The relationship between these documents and planning frameworks is illustrated in the diagram below. Please click for larger image 

LEP Plan Making Process

A flowchart summarising the process for the making of the Principal LEP is shown below.  Please click for larger image 

As the Draft LEP 2013 will be classifying public lands a public hearing will be required to be held as part of this process following the end of the public exhibition period.