St Leonards/Crows Nest proposals must follow the 2036 Plan.
Applies to: St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct in the North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby LGAs (Map LAP_001)A planning proposal for land within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct must be consistent with the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan published on 29 August 2020. This aligns development with that plan's vision, objectives and actions.
This direction is a place-based planning control that ties any rezoning-type proposal within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct to a specific strategic document — the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan, which the Minister for Planning approved and the Department published on 29 August 2020. In plain terms, when a council or other planning proposal authority wants to change the planning rules (through a planning proposal) for land in that precinct, the proposed changes must line up with what the 2036 Plan sets out as the vision, objectives and actions for the area.
The mechanism is simple: consistency with the Plan is mandatory. If a planning proposal cuts against the Plan, it normally cannot proceed in that form. The direction builds in a narrow escape valve — the proposing authority can seek the Planning Secretary's (or nominee's) agreement that any inconsistency is minor and does not undermine the Plan's overall intent. Absent that, the proposal is expected to conform.
The consequence of inconsistency is that the planning proposal would not satisfy the ministerial direction, which can stall or block the proposal at gateway/finalisation. The direction commenced on 1 March 2022 and replaces the former Direction 7.11, but the underlying requirement (consistency with the 2036 Plan) is unchanged.
Planning proposal authorities preparing planning proposals for land within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct — practically, the North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby councils (and any other authority preparing a planning proposal for that land).
It is triggered when a planning proposal authority prepares a planning proposal for land within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct in the North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby LGAs, as shown on Map LAP_001.
A planning proposal may be inconsistent only if the planning proposal authority satisfies the Planning Secretary (or nominee) that the inconsistent provisions are of minor significance and that the proposal achieves the overall intent of the Plan and does not undermine its vision, objectives and actions.
It links the planning proposal process to the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan (approved by the Minister for Planning), and it replaces the previous Direction 7.11. Map Sheet LAP_001 defines the geographic scope.
A planning proposal authority must ensure that a planning proposal is consistent with the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan approved by the Minister and published on 29 August 2020.
The direction applies to land within the precinct as shown on Map LAP_001, published on the Department of Planning and Environment website on 29 August 2020.
This direction does not apply to Kiama. It is strictly geographically limited to the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct in the North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby LGAs. A Kiama planning proposal or DA is outside the mapped precinct and is unaffected by this item.
1.13 Implementation of St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan Objective The objective of this direction is to ensure development within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct is consistent with the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan (the Plan). Application This direction applies when a planning proposal authority prepares a planning proposal for land within the St Leonards and Crows Nest Precinct in the North Sydney, Lane Cove, and Willoughby local government areas as shown on Map LAP_001 St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan Ministerial direction published on the Department of Planning and Environment website on 29 August 2020. Direction 1.13 (1) A planning proposal authority must ensure that a planning proposal is consistent with the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan, approved by the Minister for Planning and published on the Department of Planning and Environment website on 29 August 2020. Consistency A planning proposal may be inconsistent with the terms of this direction only if the planning proposal authority can satisfy the Planning Secretary (or their nominee), that: (a) the provisions of the planning proposal that are inconsistent are of minor significance, and (b) the planning proposal achieves the overall intent of the Plan and does not undermine the achievement of the Plan’s vision, objectives and actions. Note: Map Sheet LAP_001 St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 Plan Ministerial Direction Map is available on the Department of Planning and Environment website. Issued to commence 1 March 2022 (replaces previous Direction 7.11)
Reproduced from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (planning.nsw.gov.au), © State of New South Wales, under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Text extraction may introduce minor formatting artefacts — rely on the official source for anything decision-critical.
This is an unofficial reproduction provided for convenience. It is not the official version of the legislation. For the official, in-force version, see legislation.nsw.gov.au.