NSW Department of Planning and Environment
NSW-gov-logo-waratah-80x88px NSW Department of Planning and Environment

Alpine resorts

Encouraging environmentally sustainable development and protecting the natural and cultural heritage.

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Planning for NSW alpine resorts

Alpine resort development assessments are governed by Chapter 4 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Precincts-Regional) 2021 (the Alpine SEPP). The Alpine SEPP aims to protect the natural and cultural heritage of land within the alpine resorts and to encourage environmentally sustainable development.

The NSW alpine resort areas (PDF, 366 KB) include Thredbo, Perisher Range (including Bullocks Flat), Mount Selwyn, Charlotte Pass, Kosciusko Mountain Retreat, Ski Rider and Sponars Chalet, located within the unique and environmentally-significant setting of Kosciuszko National Park.

The resorts provide a range of snow-based recreational activities during winter, along with hiking, mountain-biking, riding and fishing during the warmer months. The resorts are important to NSW due to their economic and social contribution.

Key requirements of the Alpine SEPP include:

  • All development to be subject to the assessment of environmental impacts to protect the unique alpine environment.
  • 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).
  • All major development proposals to be advertised.
  • Development proposals to be referred to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage for comment and to be authorised under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

The following maps show the land to which the policy applies. Please note some of these files are large (up to 24 MB) so may take time to download.

Lodging a development application

Under the Alpine SEPP, the Minister for Planning is the consent authority for development.

To undertake development within the NSW alpine resort areas proponents need to lodge a development application with the department. It is recommended that proponents contact the Alpine Resorts team and any other relevant agencies to discuss their proposal.

The department will still continue to accept applications lodged by email to the Alpine Resorts team until 1 July 2021 when the lodging of DA applications that require a consent authority becomes mandatory via the NSW Planning Portal.

Guides

More information

For more information, contact the Alpine Resorts team on 02 6456 1733 or email alpineresorts@planning.nsw.gov.au

Fire safety in the alpine resorts

The department is committed to promoting fire safety within tourist accommodation buildings in the NSW alpine resorts.

All essential fire safety measures which are installed within a building or premises perform a vital function in protecting life and preventing injury in the event of fire. The forms and resources below are provided to assist with the ongoing maintenance and certification of these essential fire safety measures.

If you have enquiries about any fire safety matters, please contact the Alpine Resorts team on 02 6456 1733.

1. Annual fire safety statement

Each year, the owner (or lessee in the Alpine Resort areas) of a building or premises is required to submit an annual fire safety statement.

The statement confirms that each essential fire safety measure has been assessed by an accredited practitioner (fire safety) and was assessed to be capable of performing to a standard no less than that specified in a/the schedule. If the measure is not mentioned in a/the schedule, it must perform to a standard no less than when the measure was originally designed and implemented.

Annual fire safety statements should be sent to PO Box 36, Jindabyne NSW 2627 or via email to alpineresorts@planning.nsw.gov.au.

2. Fire safety certificate

Any new or altered buildings must submit a fire safety certificate, which can be found below. A fire safety certificate must also be submitted for each new or altered essential fire safety measure.

It is also a requirement that an annual fire safety statement must be submitted every twelve months after the fire safety certificate is issued.

3. Fire safety notice

If the building’s fire exit includes any fire-isolated stairway, passageway or ramp, the below notice must be displayed in a conspicuous position adjacent to the exit.

Geotechnical Forms

The following forms are referred to in the Geotechnical Policy.

Geotechnical Maps

Geotechnical maps referred to in the policy are available in pdf format via the links below.

The Accompanying Notes (PDF, 272 KB) should be read in conjunction with the geotechnical maps.

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.

The maps below illustrate G-lines in the remaining five resort areas and three resort support areas referred to in the policy.

For further information please contact the Alpine Resorts team.

Page last updated: 08/03/2023