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"Hands off our LEPs!" campaign (May 2013)
(replaced by "Hands off our LEPs!" campaign (Dec. 2013) - when draft LEP released)


NSW Planning System Reforms
campaign webpage

What is a LEP and why is it so important?
(click the image to access a scrollable panorama)
This panorama shows how urban development occurs in close proximity to Blue Mountains National Park.
The current Blue Mountains LEPs contain development guidelines that aim to limit hard surfaces and control impacts from stormwater runoff.
(panorama courtesy of Panedia)

A Local Environmental Plan (LEP) determines where development occurs, outlines what needs to be considered when development is proposed (e.g. impacts on the natural environment and cultural heritage) and sets development standards.

LEPs are therefore the major determinant of where future development occurs in the Blue Mountains, what it will look like and how the natural environment and urban character will be protected from adverse development impacts.

There are two current LEPs in the Blue Mountains: LEP 1991 covers areas on the edges of the townships at the urban-bushland (or National Park) interface and LEP 2005 covers urban areas in the townships.

In line with NSW Planning department requirements, Blue Mountains City Council has been working to consolidate these two LEPs into a city-wide plan that meets the State government's "one size fits all" Standard Instrument LEP format. You can find out more about the LEP process, and download relevant Council meeting documents, on Council’s website here.

For an outline of the issues, and why the Society is concerned about the Blue Mountains LEPs, read this article in March 2013 Hut News, here.

Fact sheets outlining the Society’s key concerns and what you can do, can be found here.

The Society has written to our local council, as well as relevant State and Commonwealth politicians, expressing our concerns in regard to the requirement to consolidate the two existing Blue Mountains LEPs into one consolidated LEP, including the lack of community consultation.

Read the Society’s 7th March 2013 letter to Mr Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, here.

Read the Society’s 6th March 2013 letter to the Blue Mountains Mayor, Daniel Myles, here.

Read the Society’s 6th March 2013 letter to the MP for Blue Mountains, Roza Sage, here.

Similar letters have also been sent to MP for Penrith Mr Stuart Ayres, federal member for Macquarie Ms Louise Markus, Duty Senator for Macquarie Doug Cameron, and Mr Tony Burke, MP Commonwealth Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

As at May 2013, we had not received replies to our letters of concern from the NSW Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, either of the state MPs or from the Commonwealth Minister.

We have received replies from federal member Ms Louise Markus and Blue Mountains Mayor, Daniel Myles, who have both met with Society representatives. Senator Doug Cameron has also agreed to meet with the Society so we can outline our concerns.

It is anticipated the draft Standard Instrument LEP for the Blue Mountains will go on public exhibition in November and December 2013. Unlike the experience of LEP 2005, there has been no meaningful community consultation during the development of the new plan. A two month exhibition period is totally inadequate for public scrutiny and preparation of submissions on what will be a complex plan for a city in a national park and World Heritage Area.

A PETITION to the Mayor of Blue Mountains City Council and the NSW Minister for Planning and Infrastructure requesting a minimum three month public exhibition period can be downloaded here.

NSW Government's planning reforms

In April 2013, the NSW government released a White Paper – ‘A New Planning System for NSW’ – as well as a draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney, which will have significant implications for the future of planning in the Blue Mountains and the wider region. More information about these reforms and the Society’s response is available on our 'NSW Planning System Reforms' campaign page here. Details of the White Paper and Metro Strategy are also available on the following websites:

“Hands Off our LEPs” public meeting

Meeting
photo by Lachlan Garland

A public meeting organised by the Society to inform the community about the LEP process was held on 5th May 2013 at the Mid Mountains Community Centre, Lawson. Read the Society’s pre- and post-meeting Media Releases here and here.

Blue Mountains City Council’s Manager of City Planning, Mr Andy Turner, made a presentation to the 5th May public meeting about the LEP review process. You can download his presentation from Council’s website here.

Meeting speakers
BMCC Mayor Daniel Myles,
BMWHI Executive Director, Mr John Merson, and
BMCC Manager of City Planning, Mr Andy Turner
photo by Lachlan Garland

The Society’s Landuse Officer, Ms Angela Langdon, made a presentation to the 5th May public meeting about the implications of the NSW White Paper. Download her presentation here.

Read the resolutions passed by an overwhelming majority of the attendees at the public meeting here.

There was an opportunity at the meeting for attendees to record their concerns and ask questions regarding the development of the new LEPs. A summary of these concerns and the Q&A session can be found here.

Read recent Blue Mountains Gazette articles:

How will the Standard LEP impact on the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area?

The Society is deeply concerned that the new standard LEP will negatively impact on the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, potentially risking its continuing World Heritage listing. The Society’s information sheet about risks to World Heritage values is here.

Read a Statement from the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute here and see a précis of the presentation made by Executive Director, John Merson at the 5th May public meeting here and a copy of his full presentation here.

Conservation of World Heritage Areas is a responsibility shared by both the State and Commonwealth government, and the Society believes the Commonwealth should be actively involved on this issue. Read the Environmental Defender’s Office advice to the Society regarding Commonwealth powers to undertake a strategic assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act here.

Representatives of the Society met with Member for Macquarie, Louise Markus, MP on 7th May 2013 to outline our concerns and explain why the Commonwealth government should be involved. As outlined in the Society's follow-up letter dated 24 May 2013 (emailed 31 May) here, Ms Markus undertook to outline our concerns and explain why the Commonwealth government should be involved. Ms Markus undertook to speak with the Opposition Environment spokesperson, Mr Greg Hunt, about this matter and to pass on any public representations she received on this matter to Mr Tony Burke, MP, the Commonwealth Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

Read the Society's 10 May 2013 letter to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area Advisory Committee here and their reply here.

The potential impact of the Standard Instrument LEP on World Heritage values was raised by Senator Doug Cameron in Senate Estimates on 29 May 2013, as outlined in the transcript here.

What you can do



© 2022  Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land
– the Darug and Gundungurra people –
and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.