Inland code

The inland code is part of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP). It simplifies the planning process for homeowners and farmers in regional NSW.

The code brings together the planning rules for new homes, home renovations and farm buildings for all residential and rural zones in inland NSW. The code makes it easier, faster and cheaper for property owners to get approvals.

We consulted the community, councils and industry while developing the code and farm building standards.

The intention is to:

• make it easy to get approval in 20 days or less for new single-storey and 2-storey homes and home renovations in rural and residential zones
• simplify and tailor development standards to suit rural and regional inland NSW
• increase the use of complying development in inland NSW to speed up housing approvals
• allow construction of a greater range of farm buildings without approval and faster approvals for large farm buildings, to support the agricultural use of land.
   

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).

For the complying development approval pathway to be available for your project, your council’s local environmental plan must allow the proposed development.

The inland code does not apply to new release areas where the greenfield housing code applies or to:

• 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.

We have changed the general exempt development code to make it easier to build farm buildings.

The changes mean you:

• don’t need planning or building approval for larger farm buildings, including sheds, silos, grain bunkers and stock yards
• will have to obey the standards for matters such as height limits and setbacks for various types of farm buildings.

Existing exempt development restrictions will apply. The changes do not apply on land that is:

• a declared area of outstanding biodiversity value, critical habitat or wilderness
• a heritage item or contains a heritage item
• within 18 km of Siding Spring Observatory
• excluded under schedule 4 of the Codes SEPP.

View the new farm building standards.