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The NSW Government is committed to supporting a productive economy by enabling business and jobs in the locations where they are needed and delivering on the vision for an area outlined with local and state strategic plans.
Small and medium sized business are the backbone to a productive economy. Employment zones guide and direct businesses to establish, grow and adapt.
The employment zones reform delivers a simplified framework that:
The reform of employment zones supports long-term economic recovery through job creation and encourages increased productivity in NSW
The employment zones provide clear strategic intent, include clarity around their application and increase flexibility around land uses.
In December 2021, the reform of the employment zones was finalised with the introduction of 5 new employment zones and 3 supporting zones into the Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006.
We are now implementing the employment zones with proposed amendments to individual local environmental plans (LEPs) across NSW.
As part of implementation the department is inviting stakeholders to make a submission on how the employment zones will be included within LEPs from 31 May to 12 July 2022.
The employment zones will be in place within individual LEPs by 1 December 2022 when the Business and Industrial zones will be repealed.
The department exhibited how Business and Industrial zones in LEPs across NSW are to be translated to Employment zones.
The exhibition period ran for 6 weeks, ending on 12 July. The department is now reviewing feedback, which will inform policy finalisation.
The Greater Cities Commission (GCC) has completed a review of the policy setting for industrial land. The outcomes of that review will inform strategic planning for industrial land. The proposed employment zones will provide a statutory framework to give effect to strategic planning.
Visit GCC Industrial Lands Policy Review for more information.
In May 2021, the department proposed that the existing Business (B) and Industrial (IN) zones be replaced with five employment zones and three supporting zones under Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006 (SI LEP Order).
The reform was finalised in December 2021 with the introduction into the SI LEP Order of 5 new employment zones and 3 supporting zones.
We developed and finalised the employment zones based on quantitative and qualitative evidence to:
Benefits of the proposed changes include:
For more information on the employment zone reform please:
Banner image by: Destination NSW.
Page last updated: 21/07/2022