Planning in Waverley - Shape your villages by the sea

Sign up for updates and provide your input at Have Your Say Waverley.

Council is undertaking important strategic planning work we’re calling ‘Planning in Waverley’. This involves the development of a new Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS), as well as a comprehensive review of the Waverley Local Environmental Plan 2012 (LEP) and the Waverley Development Control Plan (DCP).

This is envisioned to be a three-year process that consists of several stages as outlined in the timeline below. Council is seeking input from the community throughout the project.

Legislative requirement to undertake the project

As part of recent changes to the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) made in 2018, the review project is required to satisfy the legislative requirement under Section 3.8 of the EP&A Act that all councils in the Greater Sydney Region ‘give effect to’ (deliver) the objectives and priorities identified in the Region Plan and District Plan. This requires that councils:

  • review their strategic planning framework including a review of the existing local environmental plan (LEP) against the relevant District Plan
  • undertake necessary studies and strategies and prepare a Local Strategic Planning Statement which will guide the update of the LEP.

Waverley Council currently has one comprehensive LEP – the WLEP that applies to the entire local government area.

What is included in the ‘Planning in Waverley’ strategic planning project?

The Planning in Waverley work includes a number of strategies and plans that will be used as an evidence base to review and develop an updated LEP and DCP. They are:

Local Strategic Planning Statement

On 17 March 2020, the first Waverley Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) was finalised and is now available on the NSW ePlanning Portal.

The LSPS provides a strategic planning narrative for the area and aligns local planning and service delivery with the Regional and District Plans. The document sets out Waverley’s vision for our community as established in the Waverley Community Strategic Plan 2018-2029 (CSP), and identifies key planning priorities, actions, and proposed mechanisms for measuring the successful delivery of the Waverley LSPS. The LSPS also demonstrates how Waverley will implement relevant planning priorities and actions from the Region and District Plans.

Local Housing Strategy

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) requires all councils to prepare a Local Housing Strategy (LHS). It presents our 20-year vision for housing and how the housing components of the Greater Sydney Commission’s District and Regional Plans will be delivered locally.

Village Centres Strategy

The Draft Village Centres Strategy provides a shared community vision for the future of our centres, which may result in changes to development controls, as well as capital works projects to deliver some of the transport, public domain and sustainability upgrades suggested in this strategy. It will be used to inform Council decision-making with regards to Planning Proposals and Development Applications, and to make recommendations for the future of Waverley’s commercial centres and public domain.

Open Space and Recreation Strategy

The Open Space and Recreation Strategy ensures these areas continue to meet the needs of the community. It is a ten-year plan that will define a shared vision, values and design direction for sport and recreation areas and open spaces in Waverley. It will set out an overarching framework to guide Council in achieving the open space and recreation goals detailed in the Waverley CSP.

Affordable Housing Strategy

Still in inception phase, the Affordable Housing Strategy will seek to implement a planning mechanism to deliver affordable housing. This may be carried out in collaboration with Randwick City and Woollahra councils to create a shared approach across the eastern beaches.

Local Character Statements

Still in inception phase, the Local Character Statements will provide an detailed analysis and description of the existing and desired future character across the Waverley area.

Review of the Bondi Junction Urban Design Review

This document provides a review of the implementation of the Bondi Junction Urban Design Review (2011), and provides recommendations for any future changes to the planning controls in the Bondi Junction Strategic Centre.

"

Timeline

The project is divided into six phases. These are outlined below:

Phase 1 – The Health Check

Completed

Council has completed a review of our policies and plans against the Region and District Plan. This review is called The Health Check and is available on Council’s Have Your Say here (2.57MB).

--

Phase 2 – Draft Waverley Local Strategic Planning Statement

Completed

--

Phase 3 – Finalise Waverley Local Strategic Planning Statement

Completed

The draft LSPS was placed on public exhibition to get community feedback. To assist in explaining the context for the final LSPS, Council developed supporting material to explain the priorities identified in the draft, options considered and reasons for choices, as well as any relevant supporting plans and initiatives. Council reviewed submissions and make any modifications to planning priorities and actions as appropriate.

--

Phase 4 – Prepare Draft LEP and DCP

Current Phase

Prepare evidence base

To inform the review and development of new draft LEP and DCP as an evidence base, the Planning in Waverley documents will be developed – each having their own community engagement and document development process.

Currently the draft Village Centres Strategy and Local Housing Strategy are currently on public exhibition following community consultation into their development.

Prepare Draft LEP and DCP

When Council has finished preparing the evidence base above, a new Draft LEP and DCP will be prepared.  These draft documents will need to be endorsed by Council and the Draft LEP will be forwarded to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for a ‘Gateway determination.’

--

Phase 5 – Public Exhibition of draft LEP and DCP

This is an opportunity to provide your feedback.

Once the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has reviewed the draft LEP, it and the draft DCP will be placed on public exhibition, to seek public feedback on the proposed controls.

--

Phase 6 – Adopt LEP and DCP

Council is to review the draft planning documents following the exhibition period and attempt to resolve any issues raised in submissions by the public and agencies. Council may then resolve to adopt and implement the new LEP and DCP.

" 

Figure 1: NSW Strategic Planning Framework
Source: Department of Planning & Environment