Development assessments for alpine resorts are governed by Chapter 4 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Precincts-Regional) 2021 (Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4).
The Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4 aims to protect and enhance the Alpine Region by ensuring development is ecologically sustainable, including the conservation and restoration of ecological processes, natural systems and biodiversity.
The Alpine Region comprises the following subregions in Kosciuszko National Park:
- Blue Cow Terminal
- Bullocks Flat Terminal
- Charlotte Pass Alpine Resort
- Creel Bay Alpine Accommodation
- Kosciuszko Tourist Park Alpine Accommodation
- Mount Selwyn Alpine Resort
- Perisher Range Alpine Resort
- Ski Rider Alpine Accommodation
- Sponars Chalet Alpine Accommodation
- Thredbo Alpine Resort
- Thredbo Ranger Station Alpine Accommodation.
The resorts host snow-based recreation in winter, and hiking, mountain-biking, horse-riding and fishing in the warmer months. The resorts make an important economic and social contribution to the state.
Key requirements of the Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4 include:
- consideration of the Snowy Mountains SAP Master Plan and Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management
- consultation with National Parks and Wildlife Service and consideration of submissions received
- geotechnical and land stability issues associated with construction in steep alpine environments to be rigorously assessed (see Geotechnical Policy (PDF, 429 KB), geotechnical forms and geotechnical maps below)
- development proposals to be referred to the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for comment and be authorised under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4
The following maps show the land to which the Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4 applies:
- Blue Cow Terminal – Perisher Range Alpine Resort map
- Bullocks Flat Terminal – Bullocks Flat Terminal map
- Charlotte Pass Alpine Resort – Charlotte Pass Alpine Resort map
- Creel Bay Alpine Accommodation – Minor Alpine Accommodation map
- Kosciuszko Tourist Park Alpine Accommodation – Minor Alpine Accommodation map
- Mount Selwyn Alpine Resort – Mount Selwyn Alpine Resort map
- Perisher Range Alpine Resort – Perisher Range Alpine Resort map
- Ski Rider Alpine Accommodation – Minor Alpine Accommodation map
- Sponars Chalet Alpine Accommodation – Minor Alpine Accommodation map
- Thredbo Alpine Resort – Thredbo Alpine Resort map
- Thredbo Ranger Station Alpine Accommodation – Thredbo Ranger Station Alpine Accommodation map.
Alpine Region Development Control Plan
The Alpine Region Development Control Plan 2025 (Alpine DCP) came into effect on 14 January 2025 and supports the statutory planning framework of the Alpine Region including Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4, and the Snowy Mountains SAP Master Plan.
The Alpine DCP applies to all land to which Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4 applies.
It provides detailed provisions to guide development to achieve the aims and objectives of the Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4. The Alpine DCP includes detailed objectives and controls for ensuring well-designed, quality-built form and development within the Alpine Region. Each development application lodged from 14 January 2025 will be assessed having regard to the Precincts-Regional SEPP, Chapter 4, Alpine DCP, and other matters listed in section 4.15 of the EP&A Act.
Charlotte Pass chairlift assessment
Construction of the new Guthries chairlift has experienced delays and will not open during the 2025 ski season.
The conditions of approval, accepted by the applicant, are in place to manage potential impacts on threatened species and highly sensitive ecological communities in the area.
This includes a requirement that works must cease over the colder months to ensure protection of environmentally sensitive locations and worker safety.
A request to extend construction beyond April 30 was not submitted by the applicant, and instead they advised the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure that construction would cease and recommence after the ski season.
The Department’s Alpine Resorts team, based in Jindabyne, has worked closely with the applicant when assessing the chair lift project and will continue to work with the applicant to ensure timely progress of the construction work following the end of ski season.
The Department supports sustainable tourism and development in the alpine resorts, while ensuring the protection of sensitive environmental areas.
Development applications
The Minister for Planning is the consent authority for development. You must make your development application to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure through the NSW Planning Portal.
The consent of the landowner (National Parks and Wildlife Service) is required before lodging your development application unless an exception applies.
Note: The consent of the landowner is not required for a development application for development on land identified as 'Consolidated Mountain Licence Area' or 'Thredbo Alpine Resort Licence Area' on the Major Resorts Licence Area map (PDF, 7.7 MB).
We recommend you contact the Alpine Resorts team and any other relevant agencies to discuss proposal.
Maps
The following maps are provided for reference purposes only and are superseded by mapping provided on the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure on the NSW Planning Portal which apply to the alpine subregions:
We promote fire safety in tourist accommodation buildings.
These forms and resources help in certifying and maintaining essential fire safety measures.
1. Annual fire safety statement
Each year, owners or leaseholders of buildings in alpine resort areas must submit a fire safety statement.
The statement confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has checked all essential fire safety measures and they have passed.
The statement confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has checked all essential fire safety measures and they have passed.
Visit Fire safety certification for fire safety statement forms.
Mail completed statements to PO Box 36, Jindabyne NSW 2627 or email them to [email protected]
2. Fire safety certificate
New or altered buildings must be issued with a fire safety certificate. A certificate must also be issued for each new or altered essential fire safety measure.
Once a fire safety certificate is issued, a fire safety statement must be submitted every 12 months.
Visit Fire safety certification for fire safety certificate forms.
3. Fire safety notice
Fire exits that include a fire-isolated stairway, passageway or ramp must display a Fire Safety Notice (PDF, 41 KB)
These forms are mentioned in the geotechnical policy:
These geotechnical maps are mentioned in the policy. View the maps with the accompanying notes (PDF, 258 KB).
Perisher Valley incorporates nine (9) maps. G1 illustrate the G-lines referred to in the policy, in Perisher Valley, as a whole. G1-1 to G1-8 illustrating more detailed G-line sections of Perisher Valley individually.
- Perisher Valley G1 (PDF, 471 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-1 (PDF, 346 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-2 (PDF, 328 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-3 (PDF, 251 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-4 (PDF, 364 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-5 (PDF, 383 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-6 (PDF, 404 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-7 (PDF, 331 KB)
- Perisher Valley G1-8 (PDF, 309 KB)
The maps below illustrate G-lines in the remaining five resort areas and three resort support areas referred to in the policy.
Alpine Fire Safety Policy – Tourist and visitor accommodation
Kosciuszko National Park is a top tourist destination in Australia, drawing around 3 million visitors annually. The park hosts a variety of accommodation types, from eco-lodges and holiday houses to ski club lodges and resorts, most of which were built from the 1960s onwards.
The Alpine Fire Safety Policy, effective from 1 October 2025, sets clear and consistent fire safety standards for tourist and visitor accommodation in the Alpine Region, ensuring the safety of occupants.
The policy includes:
- supporting amendments to the Precincts Regional SEPP
- the Alpine Tourist and Visitor Accommodation Fire Safety Standard (PDF, 215 KB)
- an Alpine Building Fire Safety Register
- Planning Circular summarising the policy.
Key information
From 1 October 2025, Chapter 4 (Kosciuszko Alpine Region) of the Precincts SEPP was amended to introduce a new provision for the consent authority to consider when assessing applications for tourist and visitor accommodation. The new provision provides that:
- development consent must not be granted to development unless the consent authority is satisfied that it will include adequate fire safety measures to ensure the safety of occupants in the event of a fire
- in deciding whether the consent authority is satisfied the development will include adequate fire safety measures, the consent authority must consider the fire safety measures in the Alpine Tourist and Visitor Accommodation Fire Safety Standard.
The new fire safety considerations under the Precincts Regional SEPP apply to development applications and modification applications for tourist and visitor accommodation for:
- erection of a building
- change of use of an existing building to tourist and visitor accommodation
- development that is likely to increase the occupant capacity of an existing building
- development relating to an existing building, if the proposed building work and previous building work together represent more than half the total volume of the building
- development that involves alterations to existing fire safety measures that differ from, or are additional to, the fire safety measures in the Alpine Tourist and Visitor Accommodation Fire Safety Standard.
The new provisions don’t apply to applications already lodged prior to 1 October 2025.
The fire safety standard sets out baseline fire safety measures, including:
- standard fire safety requirements of the Building Code of Australia that would normally apply to a building based on its building class
- consistent fire safety measures for Class 1 buildings, including supplementary measures beyond Building Code of Australia requirements for some buildings (e.g. additional smoke alarms, evacuation lighting, exit maintenance)
- kitchen fire blankets, fire extinguishers and evacuation signs in bedrooms and at entrances for Class 1, 2 and 4 buildings
- requirements that fire safety measures in buildings be maintained and annually reported on.
The consent authority will consider these standards when assessing relevant applications and may include conditions of consent that require these measures to be implemented.
The Fire Safety Standard provides that fire safety measures in tourist and visitor accommodation buildings in the Alpine Region are to be maintained and annually certified.
This is normally done through annual fire safety statements under the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.
Buildings that are not required to submit an annual fire safety statement must be registered and have fire safety measures certified annually on the Alpine Building Fire Safety Register.
The register is similar to the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Register that applies elsewhere in NSW. As with the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Register, a key function of the register is to ensure that building fire safety measures in tourist accommodation remain operational and effective over time.
For buildings that require alpine building fire safety registration, the building must be registered on the register before it is made available for tourist and visitor use. The owner or property manager must renew the building's registration each year by updating their registration details and certifying that the building provides all required fire safety measures and that they are maintained and operating correctly.
Application forms and further information on the Alpine Building Fire Safety Register will be made available shortly.
To register a building, email the Department at [email protected]
Subscribe to receive updates
More information
For more information, phone the Alpine Resorts team on 02 6448 8500 or email [email protected]