Local Planning Controls

Lake Macquarie Local Strategic Planning Statement

Council is responsible for setting the long-term vision for land-use planning in the city in collaboration with the community. This vision is outlined in our Lake Macquarie Local Strategic Planning Statement.

Lake Macquarie Housing Strategy

The Lake Macquarie Housing Strategy(PDF, 8MB) aims to deliver a diverse mix of affordable and sustainable housing supply close to services, facilities and infrastructure to meet our growing population's housing needs.

Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan

The Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan (LMLEP) 2014 establishes zones of land, such as environmental, rural, residential, business and industrial. Each zone specifies which developments are permitted with consent, permitted without consent, or prohibited. All land, privately-owned, leased or publicly owned, is subject to these controls. LMLEP also identifies other planning provisions, such as maximum building heights and minimum lot sizes.

LMLEP consists of a written document and a series of maps.

As of 1 December 2021, a reference to an Environment Protection zone E1, E2, E3 or E4 in a document should be taken to be a reference to a Conservation zone C1, C2, C3 or C4. Please refer to below table.

For further information please see Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Amendment (Land Use Zones) Order 2021(PDF, 245KB)

Previous name
Revised name (as of 1 December 2021)
Zone E1 – National Parks and Nature Reserves  Zone C1 – National Parks and Nature Reserves
 Zone E2 – Environmental Conservation  Zone C2 – Environmental Conservation
 Zone E3 – Environmental Management  Zone C3 – Environmental Management
 Zone E4 – Environmental Living  Zone C4 – Environmental Living

Planning for economic and neighbourhood centres

Works carried out in our economic and neighbourhood centres must adhere to approved Streetscape Master Plans, Area Plans and Technical Guidelines:

These documents can be downloaded below:

Belmont

Cardiff

Charlestown

Glendale

Morisset

Mount Hutton

Swansea

Toronto

Warners Bay

West Wallsend

Neighbourhood Centres

Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan

The Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan (LMDCP) 2014 is the supporting document for the Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014. It provides guidance and details requirements for development that should be taken into account when preparing a Development Application (DA).

As of 1 December 2021, a reference to an Environment Protection zone E1, E2, E3 or E4 in a document should be taken to be a reference to a Conservation zone C1, C2, C3 or C4.

General

Specific Land Uses (Part 9)

Area Plans (Part 10)

Heritage Area Plans: (Part 11)

Precinct Area Plans (Part 12)

Dictionary

Supporting documents

Development Guidelines

We have a range of development guidelines that show you how to prepare specific information that should be submitted with your Development Application. The guidelines you need to use for particularly development types are highlighted in the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan 2014.

Natural Environment Guidelines

You should consult these guides if you are making any management and planning decision that could affect specific threatened species and their habitat in Lake Macquarie

Development Guidelines

DCP General
DCP Environment
DCP Economic
DCP Energy
DCP Flooding
DCP Heritage
DCP Landscape and Engineering Design

Planning controls for Catherine Hill Bay

Catherine Hill Bay South

Some parts of the City have planning controls that are not contained in the Lake Macquarie Local Environment Plan or Development Control Plan. The planning controls for Catherine Hill Bay South are contained in Part 11 of the Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2004 and Catherine Hill Bay (South) Development Control Plan 2012(PDF, 16MB) and part of the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan No.1.

Our Guidance for Development Applications in Catherine Hill Bay South(PDF, 1MB) fact sheet provides guidance for applicants who are seeking to prepare and submit Development Applications to Council for new houses at Beaches Catherine Hill Bay.

Middle Camp