Policy Directions for plan making

This section provides local councils with resources to help in preparing and assessing development applications, planning proposals and local environmental plans.

In Greater Sydney, District Plans will need to be considered in all planning proposal stages.

Local planning Directions

You must follow certain directions when preparing planning proposals for new Local Environment Plans (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.

Current and previously issued section 9.1 Directions

The following documents provide advice on Ministerial Directions issued under section 9.1 of the Act – previously section 117(2).

Directions for planning proposals

• List of local planning directions issued by the Minister on or after 1 July 2009 – latest version issued on 11 December 2020
• Map Sheet LAP_001 St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan Section 9.1 Direction 7.11 (PDF, 608 KB)
• Map Sheet LAP_001 Cooks Cove Precinct Section 9.1 Direction 7.10 (PDF, 677 KB).
• Map Sheet LAP_001 Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy Section 9.1 Direction 7.13 (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Resources for section 9.1 Integrating Land Use and Transport

• Improving Transport Choice – Guidelines for planning and development, August 2001 (PDF, 935 KB)
• The Right Place for Business and Services – Planning policy, August 2001 (PDF, 225 KB).

Relevant planning system circulars

• Circular PS 08-002 State Environmental Planning Policy (Rural Lands) 2008 Issued 9 May 2008 (PDF, 56.9 KB)
• Circular PS 07-008 New section 117 directions Issued 17 July 2007 (PDF, 36.8 KB)
• Revised local planning directions: Overview of key changes – includes a comparison of new and previous directions and the effect of the changes (July 2007)
• Circular PS 07-003 New guideline and changes to section 117 direction and EP&A Regulation on flood prone land – Issued 31 January 2007 (PDF, 122 KB).