Rezoning proposals

Preparation of a planning proposal (formerly known as rezoning proposal) is required as part of the plan making process to amend the Local Environmental Plan.

A planning proposal is a document prepared by the Council which explains the intended outcomes and justification for a proposed environmental planning instrument such as a local environmental plan (LEP). A planning proposal may deal with a minor change to an existing LEP or it may aim to introduce a new precinct or municipal-wide LEP. In the case of a minor LEP change, a planning proposal may seek to allow different land uses for a property or to change development standards such as a maximum building height or floor space ratio. The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 sets out the legislative requirements for the preparation of planning proposals.

Applicants should visit the Department of Planning and Environment's website to view information about the local environmental plan making process.

• Local Environmental Plan Making Guideline - September 2022

A rezoning is a change to the zone of a parcel of land. This can increase or decrease the range of permissible uses for a site or change the development standards that are applicable. Land can only be rezoned through a formal amendment to the RLEP.

The following fact sheet provides more detail on the rezoning process in Randwick City:

• Rezoning Applications Fact Sheet PDF, 1310.08 KB

Council encourages prospective applicants to discuss their proposals with strategic planning staff as early as possible and to seek feedback on matters that are specific to their proposal.

Use the following application form to arrange a meeting with strategic planning staff:

• Pre-Planning Proposal Meeting Form PDF, 48.16 KB

Use the following application form for consent to rezone land:

• Planning Proposal (Rezoning) Application Form PDF, 65.69 KB

Randwick LEP 2012  - proposed amendments (planning proposals)

Amendments to the LEP are made from time to time to rezone land or amend the Plan's provisions. Like the Plan itself, amendments must be formally gazetted in the Government Gazette. Current Proposals are listed below.

Planning Proposal – 11A Marcel Avenue, Coogee

At the Council Meeting on 28 June 2022 Council resolved, among other things, to exhibit a planning proposal to list 11A Marcel Avenue, Coogee, as a local heritage item under Schedule 5 of the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012, and to extend the existing Moira Crescent Heritage Conservation Area to incorporate 11A Marcel Avenue.

The planning proposal will be on exhibition for comment from Wednesday 12 October until Wednesday 9 November 2022.

The Planning Proposal and accompanying heritage study can be viewed at:

• Council’s Customer Service Centre, 30 Frances Street Randwick, between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday
  Bowen Library, 669-673 Anzac Parade, Maroubra during library hours
• Malabar Library, 1203 Anzac Parade, Matraville during library hours
• Randwick Library, Level 1, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, Randwick during library hours
• Council’s Your Say webpage at: yoursay.randwick.nsw.gov.au

Comments can be made online via our Your Say website or submitted in writing either via email to council@randwick.nsw.gov.au or by post to the General Manager, Randwick City Council, 30 Frances Street, Randwick NSW 2031. Comments should be headed ‘11A Marcel Avenue, Coogee, Heritage Item’. Submissions must be received by 5pm, Wednesday 9 November 2022.

Planning Proposal - Nos 1 and 3 Berwick Street Coogee

At the Council Meeting on 13 December 2022 Council resolved to exhibit a planning proposal to list 1 and 3 Berwick Street, Coogee, as local heritage items under Schedule 5 of the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012.

The planning Proposal was on exhibition from 17 April until 12 May 2023.

A report to Council on the exhibition outcomes for 1 Berwick Street Coogee is going to the full Council meeting on 27 June 2023.

Randwick Comprehensive Planning Proposal

The Draft Randwick Comprehensive Planning Proposal has been prepared to update Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 in accordance with the policy approach of the State Government’s Standard Instrument LEP, which encourages Councils to undertake a comprehensive update of planning instruments to ensure they are in line with the strategic directions and planning priorities of the Greater Sydney Region Plan (A Metropolis for Three Cities), Eastern City District Plan and Randwick Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS).

UPDATE: Timing of finalisation of Comprehensive Planning Proposal

The Department was originally working towards finalisation and gazettal of the amended LEP prior to end of 2022, however Council has received a request for additional information from the Department of Planning and Environment. This additional information is required for the Department to finalise their assessment, ahead of the drafting and gazettal of the LEP amendment. The current requests for further information from Council will mean the new timeframe for gazettal of the LEP changes will be in the first half of this year. This revised timeframe is also subject to further change, depending on the outcome of investigations and subject to Council’s response to the issues raised.

Council is currently working through the additional information request.

Final Comprehensive Planning Proposal – Submission to Department of Planning and Environment

The Final Comprehensive Planning Proposal was submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment on 20 September 2022 for formal approval and finalisation.

Gazettal is expected to take place in the coming months. You can keep up to date on the status of the Planning Proposal on the Departments website here.

You can view the Final Comprehensive Planning Proposal and supporting documents below.

• Randwick Comprehensive Planning Proposal PDF, 4613.75 KB
• Attachment A Planning Proposal Timeline PDF, 240.89 KB
• Attachment B LEP Clauses & Schedules Changes PDF, 809.52 KB
• Attachment C LEP Map Changes PDF, 5590.91 KB
• Attachment D SEPP Compliance Table PDF, 320.4 KB
• Attachment E Ministerial Directions Compliance Table PDF, 324.95 KB
• Attachment F(1) Data Sheets (Neighbourhood Centres) PDF, 6540.82 KB
• Attachment F(2) Data Sheets (Rezoning Requests Publicly Exhibited) PDF, 2316.8 KB
• Attachment F(3) Data Sheets (Rezoning Requests from Public Submissions) PDF, 9333.17 KB
• Attachment G(1) Assessment of Heritage Significance - Edgecumbe Estate Heritage Conservation Area PDF, 2959.24 KB
• Attachment G(2) Randwick Junction Draft Heritage Items - Inventory Sheets and Heritage Study PDF, 8959.25 KB
• Attachment G(3) Randwick Heritage Study Volume 1 - Heritage Conservation Area Review PDF, 15086.56 KB
• Attachment G(4) Randwick Heritage Study Volume 2 - Community Nominations PDF, 5974.94 KB
• Attachment G(5) Heritage Statement of Significance - Moira Crescent Heritage Conservation Area PDF, 1341.52 KB
• Attachment G(6) Randwick Heritage Study Draft Heritage Items - Heritage Inventory Sheets Part 1 PDF, 19583.26 KB
• Attachment G(6) Randwick Heritage Study Draft Heritage Items - Heritage Inventory Sheets Part 2 PDF, 17202.05 KB
• Attachment G(7) Response to Heritage Submissions – City Plan Advice PDF, 619.52 KB
• Attachment H(1) West Randwick HIA Urban Design Analysis Report PDF, 8096.24 KB
• Attachment H(2) Arthur Street HIA Urban Design Analysis Report PDF, 12448.27 KB
• Attachment H(3) Magill Street HIA urban Design Analysis Report PDF, 12887.47 KB
• Attachment H(4) Kingsford South HIA Urban design Analysis Report PDF, 13304.26 KB
• Attachment I Affordable Housing Plan – Housing Investigation Areas PDF, 1552.52 KB
• Attachment J Local Transport Study - Randwick Junction and HIAs PDF, 6151.78 KB
• Attachment K Flood Constraints Review - Randwick HIAs PDF, 17623.01 KB
• Attachment L Employment Zone Reform Translation Paper PDF, 1475.92 KB
• Attachment M Community Consultation Outcomes Report PDF, 12050.4 KB

Meriton Planning Proposal – 1406-1408 Anzac Parade, Little Bay

June 2021 update – Decision

On Friday 18 June, the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel handed down its decision, voting unanimously to refuse the proposal proceeding to Gateway Determination (public exhibition).

The Panel found that the proposal does not have strategic or site specific merit. The Panel raised a number of issues in the Record of Decision including that the proposed scale and density is inappropriate for the site, there is no State Government commitment to future public transport connections to warrant the proposed development intensity and that the proposal will have significant impacts on the amenity of the local area.

Council resolved to not support this proposal proceeding to Gateway Determination in June 2020 based on a number of reasons as outlined in the Council officers’ assessment report. This unanimous decision confirms Council’s position that the proposal is inconsistent with Council’s future planning and will have significant impacts on local transport and amenity.

You may view Council’s media release here.

You may view the Panel’s Record of Decision here.

June 2021 update

On the 3 June 2021, Council officers attended a final briefing of the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel to present the reasons why the proposal is not supported by Council and the Randwick Local Planning Panel.

The briefing was attended by representatives from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and the Proponent, who also briefed the Panel.  

The Panel will determine whether the proposal has strategic and site-specific merit and if the proposal should be submitted for Gateway Determination (public exhibition).

A decision is expected to be handed down by close of business on Friday 18 June 2021.

Council will update this this webpage as soon as a decision is made available. Details of the Panels decision will also be available on the Department’s Planning Portal.

April 2021 update

The Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel has invited Council to a briefing to be held on 29 April 2021.

Representatives from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Heritage NSW and the Proponent will also be briefing the Panel on this date.

A subsequent site inspection will also be undertaken by the Panel. The briefing and site inspection are not open to the public.

Following the site inspection, the Panel will then determine whether the proposal has strategic and site-specific merit and should be submitted for Gateway Determination (public exhibition).

The rezoning review documentation may be viewed on the Department’s Planning Portal.

Once further information becomes available, Council will update this page.

August 2020 update

At the June Ordinary Council meeting held on the 23 June 2020, Council resolved to not support the Planning Proposal proceeding to Gateway determination (public exhibition) based on a number of reasons as outlined in Council officers’ report and the advice of the Randwick Local Planning Panel. This assessment report and council resolution are available to view on the business papers and minutes page.

Meriton submitted a rezoning review request to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (the Department) in late April 2020, which the Department accepted following the Council resolution to not support the proposal proceeding to Gateway determination.

This rezoning review will be carried out independently by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel who will determine whether the proposal has sufficient strategic and site-specific merit to proceed to Gateway determination. Council has already provided its comments to the Panel, indicating the reasons why the proposal was not supported by Council and the Randwick Local Planning Panel. The rezoning request documentation, including Council’s response may be viewed on the Department’s LEPs Online System website.

The date for the Sydney City Eastern Planning Panel meeting is yet to be set. Once further information comes to hand, we will update this webpage.

June 2020 update

On 10 June 2020 the Randwick Local Planning Panel reviewed Council’s assessment of the Planning Proposal and advised Council that it does not support it proceeding to Gateway Determination based on a number of reasons as outlined in the minutes of the meeting. The assessment report and minutes of the meeting are available to view on the business papers and minutes page.

Council officers have now prepared a report (incorporating the Panel’s advice) to be considered at Council’s June Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 23 June 2020. At this meeting, Council will determine whether the proposal has strategic merit to proceed to Gateway Determination, considering the assessment report prepared by Council officers and the advice of the Randwick Local Planning Panel. The agenda of the meeting including the report’s recommendation is now available on the business papers and minutes page.

At this stage, the proposal and supplementary planning statement is not on public exhibition. We will update this webpage as the assessment progresses.

April 2020 update

A supplementary planning statement including an alternative concept scheme was submitted to Council on 20 March 2020 to support the planning proposal lodged on 4 September 2019. It seeks to address some of the key issues identified by Council from the preliminary assessment undertaken in November 2020.

The supplementary planning statement, alternative concept scheme and supporting documentation are available to view below. Council is required to undertake an assessment of the alternative concept scheme and supplementary information to consider if it has strategic merit to proceed to public exhibition and community consultation i.e Gateway determination. At this stage, the proposal and supplementary planning statement is not on public exhibition. We will update this webpage as the assessment progresses.

A Planning Proposal for land at 1406 -1408 Anzac Parade, Little Bay (also known as ‘Little Bay Cove’) was formally lodged with Council on 4 September 2019.

The planning proposal documents are available to view below. The proposal is not formally on public exhibition. Council is required to assess a planning proposal that is lodged with Council to consider if it has strategic merit to proceed to public exhibition and community consultation.

Council has recently endorsed a Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) and Housing Strategy which outline the community’s vision for land use over the next 20 years for all land within Randwick City.

The Housing Strategy identifies the Little Bay Cove site only for its remaining capacity under the existing approval of 450 dwellings of which approximately 224 dwellings have been constructed. The two documents were on public exhibition until 5 November 2019.
A preliminary assessment of the planning proposal lodged on 4 September 2019 has been undertaken. A number of significant key issues were identified and these have been provided to Meriton for their consideration and response.

Key issues from the preliminary assessment:

• Unrealistic public transport assumptions used to justify the proposal;Lack of certainty of any mass transit transport system servicing the site in the medium term and the long term and is subject to future detailed planning investigations;
• Concern about the incompatibility of the proposed heights with the scenic coastal area;
• Impact on views, particularly from Little Bay Beach and Malabar Headland; and
• Impact on the critically endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, open space, and the significant Aboriginal ochre site located nearby.

Once Meriton responds to the issues that have been raised, we will undertake a further assessment of the proposal. A report will then be prepared for the Randwick Local Planning Panel and a meeting of Council.

At the Council Meeting, Councillors will decide whether to forward the planning proposal to the Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment for their endorsement for it to proceed to public exhibition.

The applicant is able to seek a review of a decision not to allow the proposal to proceed to public exhibition.  A review would likely be carried out by the Sydney Planning Panel, a State Government appointed panel of experts which includes a local government representative. The applicant is also able to request a review if Council does not make a decision within 90 days of the applicant submitting a planning proposal. Meriton have advised that they will not be seeking a Gateway review at this stage, to allow them time to respond to the various issues.