The Patyegarang planning proposal (formerly known as Lizard Rock) was available for public feedback from Tuesday 26 September to Tuesday 7 November 2023.
You can view the proposal documents on the NSW Planning Portal.
During the exhibition period, we received over 3,700 submissions from the community and stakeholders.
Key matters raised in submissions include:
- bushfire risk and evacuation
- loss of bushland
- impacts on significant flora and fauna
- infrastructure to support new residents
- traffic and access
- waterway impacts
- the scale of the proposed rezoning.
What’s happening now
An independent planning consultant has commenced a review of all submissions received during the exhibition period.
Following this review, the department will prepare a planning report which will include recommendations to the Sydney North Strategic Planning Panel (the Panel) about the future of the planning proposal in response to community feedback.
Based on this information, the Panel will make a recommendation to the department on whether the proposal should be finalised and, if so, in what form.
The Minister, or the department as the Minister’s delegate, will make the final determination for the planning proposal.
What has happened
Patyegarang planning proposal
We received a planning proposal from the Metro LALC for a site on Morgan Road, Belrose (the proposal) in October 2022.
The proposal seeks to rezone land to deliver up to 450 dwellings and a cultural centre with new open space and conservation areas.
The proposal includes detailed supporting studies that respond to key issues raised by the local community during public exhibition of the Development Delivery Plan (DDP) in early 2022.
Northern Beaches Council was offered the role of planning proposal authority (PPA), to prepare the proposal for gateway determination by the department. Council declined this role and the Sydney North Strategic Planning Panel appointed itself to the PPA role.
In August 2023, the Metro LALC resubmitted an updated planning proposal to the department ahead of public exhibition.
The panel reviewed the updated planning proposal and determined that it adequately addressed all gateway conditions, and their feedback, and should proceed to public exhibition.
The Department also assessed the updated planning proposal and determined that it satisfied all gateway conditions.
The Patyegarang planning proposal was available for public comment between Tuesday 26 September and Tuesday 7 November 2023.
For more information on the proposal, please visit the NSW Planning Portal.
For more information on the gateway determination process, go to Making and Amending LEPs.
Northern Beaches Development Delivery Plan
In August 2022, the Northern Beaches Development Delivery Plan (DDP) for 6 of the sites owned by the Metro LALC in the Northern Beaches LGA was approved.
The DDP was prepared in consultation with the Metro LALC and considers the high-level opportunities and constraints associated with any future development of the 6 sites (PDF, 9.5 MB). It is underpinned by a strategic assessment which considered the land-use potential of all Metro LALC land holdings in the Northern Beaches LGA.
The DDP does not approve development on the sites. It was the first step toward consideration of planning proposals or development applications, with further community consultation to be conducted.
The DDP allows planning proposals for the sites to be independently reviewed by the Sydney North Strategic Planning Panel (the panel).
The DDP responds to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, which established Aboriginal land councils to manage land to provide an economic base for Aboriginal communities as compensation for historic dispossession and ongoing disadvantage.
The DDP will help Aboriginal people develop their land to support their community and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage. It will also provide new homes and jobs for the wider community.
The draft DDP was exhibited for public comment prior to approval. During this exhibition, we received submissions on issues including bushland and environmental impact, traffic, infrastructure, open space, bushfire and Aboriginal heritage.
Find out how we responded to these issues by reading the Independent Planning Review (PDF, 876 KB) and the department's Finalisation Report (PDF, 732 KB).
Specific feedback on individual sites will be addressed in further detailed studies for future planning proposals.
View the final DDP documents on the NSW Planning Portal.
We will continue to work with the Metro LALC and consult with Northern Beaches Council on planning for the sites.
Remaining sites
The remaining 5 sites require further investigation. Future land uses could include residential, industrial, employment and environmental conservation. These sites could have planning proposals or DAs submitted over the next 5 years. We are not aware of any plans for these sites.
We may expand the Northern Beaches Development Delivery Plan (DDP) if additional sites are investigated to ensure any planning proposals are consistent with its objectives.