Land Use Zones

The new Palerang LEP will contain a number of new land use zones that will replace the zones used in previous planning instruments for Palerang. It lists, for each zone, the objectives for the zone, those land uses that are permissible without development consent, those that are permissible with development consent and those that are prohibited. These details are available by following the Zone Definitions link in the left side menu.

The paragraphs below provide a summary of the zone descriptions extracted from a report presented in the Business Papers for the 10 February 2011 general meeting of Palerang Council.

Business Zones

B2 Local Centre

The B2 zone is generally intended for centres that provide a range of retail, business, entertainment and community functions that typically service a wider catchment than a neighbourhood centre.

This zone has been applied to commercial core areas of Bungendore and Braidwood.

B4 Mixed Use

The B4 zone is generally intended for use where a wide range of land uses are to be encouraged, including retail, employment, residential, community and other uses. This zone has been applied to the mixed commercial residential area along Lascelles Street in Braidwood.

Conservation Zones
(formerly Environment Protection Zones)

C1 National Parks and Nature Reserves

The C1 zone, formerly the E1 zone, is generally intended to cover existing national parks and nature reserves. All uses currently authorised under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 will continue to be permitted without consent within this zone.

This zone has been applied to land under the control of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

C2 Environmental Conservation

The C2 zone, formerly the E2 zone, is generally intended to protect land that has high conservation value. A number of land uses considered to be inappropriate for this zone have been mandated as prohibited uses.

This zone has been applied to private land that is subject to conservation agreements. The SCA has indicated its preference for some of its land to be zoned C2 but final advice from the authority had not been received at the time of writing.The C2 zone may also be appropriate for some crown land areas of high conservation value.

C3 Environmental Management

The C3 zone, formerly the E3 zone, is generally intended to be applied to land that has environmental or scenic values or hazard risk, but where a limited range of development including dwelling houses and other uses could be permitted. This zone might also be suitable as a transition between areas of high conservation value and other land uses such as rural or residential.

This zone has been applied to the areas zoned 7(e) Environment Protection under the YLEP 2002, for example the Lake George escarpment west of Bungendore and other areas that have environmental values, but where dwelling houses already exist or are able to be developed. The zone has also been used on areas of private land surrounded by or in some cases adjacent to national parks and areas of high conservation value adjoining national parks.

C4 Environmental Living

This zone, formerly the E4 zone, is generally intended for land with special environmental or scenic values where residential development could be accommodated.

This zone has been applied to the existing rural residential areas.

Industrial Zones

IN2 Light Industrial

This zone is generally intended for land that provides light industry, warehouse and distribution uses.

Recreation Zones

RE1 Public Recreation

This zone is generally intended for a wide range of public recreation areas and activities, including local and regional open space.

Councils may generally permit typical public recreation uses in this zone. A range of land uses compatible with the recreation use of the land should be permitted. Where land is reserved for public recreation purposes (e.g. local or regional open space), the land is to be outlined and annotated on the Land Reservation Acquisition Map and the relevant acquisition authority identified in the table in Clause 24.

Residential Zones

R1 General Residential

The R1 zone is intended to be applied to land allocated for general residential use. The zone objectives also encourage the provision of facilities or services that meet the day-to-day needs of residents.

This zone has been applied to selected areas close to the centre of Bungendore or Braidwood, primarily to allow for medium density housing development in these areas.

R2 Low Density Residential

The R2 zone is generally intended to be applied to land where primarily low density housing is to be established or maintained. The zone objectives also encourage the provision of facilities or services that meet the day-to-day needs of residents.

This zone has been applied to most of the residential areas of Bungendore and Braidwood.

R5 Large Lot Residential

The R5 zone is generally intended to cater for development that provides for residential housing in a rural setting. The allocation of large lot ‘rural’ residential land must be justified by a strategy prepared in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department.

This zone has been applied to the large lots in Elmslea in Bungendore and the Llewellyn Drive area in Braidwood.

Rural Zones

RU1 Primary Production

The RU1 zone is generally intended to cover land used for most kinds of primary industry production, including extensive agriculture, horticulture, intensive livestock, agriculture, mining, forestry and extractive industries. The zone is aimed at maintaining and enhancing the natural resource base. One of the mandatory objectives is to minimise the fragmentation and alienation of resource lands.

This zone has generally been applied to the best, most productive areas of agricultural land, generally Class 2 and 3 prime agricultural land under the Department of Primary Industries classification.

RU2 Rural Landscape

The RU2 zone is generally intended for rural land with landscape values or land that has reduced agricultural capability due to gradient, soil type, vegetation, rock outcrops, salinity etc. but which is suitable for grazing and other forms of extensive agriculture. These areas are still valuable in terms of their agricultural production, but will generally be grazing areas where landscape values and paddock trees will also be important.

This zone has generally been applied to agricultural areas that are not prime agricultural land and where remnant native vegetation forms an important component of the landscape. It has also been applied to areas that, although good quality agricultural land, have been fragmented to the extent that its agricultural capability is effectively reduced.

RU3 Forestry

The RU3 zone is generally intended to identify and protect land that is to be used for long-term forestry use. Note that land which is to be used for forestry purposes may alternatively be dealt with under the RU1 Primary Production zone.

This zone has been applied to land under the control of Forests NSW.

RU5 Village

The RU5 zone is generally intended to cover rural villages where a mix of residential,retail, and other uses is to be established or maintained.

This zone has been applied to land in Captains Flat, Majors Creek, Araluen, Hoskinstown Nerriga and Mongarlowe.

Special Purpose Zones

SP1 Special Activities

The SP1 zone is generally intended for special land uses or sites with special characteristics that can not be accommodated in other zones. Some examples of where this zone may be suitable might include land on which there is, or is proposed to be, a major scientific research facility, a major defence or communications establishment or an international sporting facility.

This zone should be used where the use can not be provided for in another zone. This zone is not the same as traditional Special Uses zones that appear in a number of existing LEPs. For example, a school or fire station can generally be accommodated in a Local Centre, Mixed Use, or Infrastructure zone.

SP2 Infrastructure

This zone is generally intended to cover a wide range of physical and human infrastructure uses such as transport (e.g. roads and railways), utility undertakings and works, community uses, educational establishments (e.g. schools) and hospitals.