Inland Code

The Inland Code is a complying development pathway under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP).

It makes approvals for new homes, renovations and farm buildings simpler, faster and cost effective for homeowners and farmers in inland NSW.

The code is designed to:

• support faster approvals in 20 days or less for new single-storey and 2-storey homes, and home renovations for rural and residential zones
• support agricultural land use by allowing farmers to construction a wider range of farm buildings under complying development pathways
• increase the use of complying development pathways by simplifying inland NSW development standards.

You can build a new single-storey or 2-storey home or undertake home renovations as complying development in inland NSW if your proposal meets the development standards in the code.

Using the fast-track complying development pathway can save property owners thousands of dollars by eliminating the need for council approval.

The code applies to the 69 local government areas shown on the Inland Code map (JPG, 817 KB).

You can check whether your land is in an inland council area using the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer.

Your council’s local environmental plan must allow the proposed development for you to use the complying development approval pathway.

The Inland Code does not apply to:

• new release areas where the Greenfield Housing Code applies
• land within heritage conservation areas or draft heritage conservation areas (apart from some minor work) or heritage items
• environmentally sensitive areas or environmentally sensitive land
• land identified in Schedule 5 of the State Policy
• other land set out in clause 1.19 of the State Policy.

The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has previously exhibited proposed changes to the Inland Code.

The Department is considering feedback from the exhibition to help us to strike the right balance between simplifying complying development in rural areas and preserving the surrounding landscape and environmental values.

Inland Code development standards

The Inland Code development standards summary tables have been created for industry professionals, including council planners, building designers, architects and certifiers.