Bays West proposals must follow the Bays West Place Strategy.
Applies to: Land in the Bays West precinct, Inner West Council LGA (Map LAP_001)When preparing a planning proposal for land in the Bays West precinct, the planning proposal authority must ensure it is consistent with the Bays West Place Strategy and its Urban Design Framework, including the Vision, 14 Directions, Structure Plan(s), sub-precinct future character and Big Moves.
This is a place-based planning direction that forces any rezoning or planning proposal for land in the Bays West precinct (in the Inner West Council area of Sydney) to line up with the Bays West Place Strategy the Minister approved and published on 15 November 2021. The Place Strategy is a detailed blueprint for how this former industrial harbour precinct should grow — it contains a Vision, 14 Directions, one or more Structure Plans, envisaged future characters for sub-precincts, a set of 'Big Moves', and an Urban Design Framework (with Sustainability and Connecting with Country components). The direction's job is to make sure planning proposals actually deliver that blueprint rather than cut across it.
In practice, when a planning proposal authority (usually the council, or another body preparing a rezoning) works up a proposal for this land, it must demonstrate consistency with the Place Strategy across the listed elements. The direction also ties the precinct's growth into the higher-level Greater Sydney planning framework — the Eastern City District Plan and the Greater Sydney Region Plan — and asks that growth be balanced against character, Indigenous and European heritage, the working harbour and infrastructure. If a proposal is inconsistent, it cannot simply proceed; the authority must convince the Department's Secretary (or nominee) that the inconsistency is minor or that the proposal still achieves the overall intent.
This direction replaced an earlier Direction 7.14 and commenced on 1 March 2022. It is narrowly geographic — it only bites on land shown on Map LAP_001 — so it is a bespoke control for one Sydney precinct rather than a state-wide rule.
A planning proposal authority preparing a planning proposal for land in the Inner West Council LGA that is shown on Map LAP_001. This is typically the council or another authority responsible for the rezoning; it is not a development-application (DA) or certifier control.
It is triggered when a planning proposal authority prepares a planning proposal for land within the Bays West precinct as mapped on Map LAP_001 (published 15 November 2021). It does not apply to development applications or to land outside that mapped precinct.
A planning proposal may be inconsistent only if the planning proposal authority satisfies the Secretary of the Department (or their nominee) that the inconsistent provisions are of minor significance, and/or that the proposal still achieves the overall intent of the Place Strategy and does not undermine its Vision, Directions, Big Moves and sub-precinct future characters.
Ties directly to the Bays West Place Strategy and its Urban Design Framework (including the Sustainability Framework and Connecting with Country Framework), and requires support for the Eastern City District Plan and the Greater Sydney Region Plan. It replaces the previous Direction 7.14.
The planning proposal must be consistent with the Place Strategy approved by the Minister and published on 15 November 2021, including giving effect to the objectives of the Direction and the Strategy's Vision.
The proposal must be consistent with the 14 Directions and the Structure Plan(s) set out in the Bays West Place Strategy.
The proposal must deliver on the envisaged future character for the relevant sub-precincts in the Place Strategy.
The proposal must support the delivery of the 'Big Moves' identified in the Bays West Place Strategy.
It must actively support consistent delivery of the objectives in the Eastern City District Plan and the Greater Sydney Region Plan, and balance growth with character, heritage, working harbour and infrastructure considerations.
This direction does not apply to Kiama. It is strictly limited to land in the Bays West precinct within the Inner West Council LGA as shown on Map LAP_001, which is on Sydney Harbour. A Kiama-scale coastal council, a Kiama planning proposal, or a Kiama DA would never engage this direction. It is only useful to Kiama planners as an example of how the state uses a place-based ministerial direction to lock rezonings to an approved precinct strategy.
1.17 Implementation of the Bays West Place Strategy Objectives The objectives of this direction are to: (a) facilitate development within the Bays West precinct that is consistent with the Bays West Place Strategy (Place Strategy) and the Urban Design Framework (which includes the Sustainability Framework and Connecting with Country Framework), (c) actively support the consistent delivery of objectives in the Eastern City District Plan and Greater Sydney Region Plan, and (d) guide growth and change balanced with character, Indigenous and European heritage, working harbour and infrastructure considerations across the Bays West precinct under the Place Strategy. Application This direction applies when a planning proposal authority prepares a planning proposal for land in the Inner West Council local government area as shown on Map LAP_001 Bays West Place Strategy Ministerial Direction Map published on the Department of Planning and Environment website on 15 November 2021. Direction 1.17 (1) A planning proposal authority must ensure that a planning proposal is consistent with the Bays West Place Strategy, approved by the Minister for Planning and published on the Department of Planning and Environment website on 15 November 2021, including that it: (a) gives effect to the objectives of this Direction and the Vision of the Bays West Place Strategy, (b) is consistent with the 14 Directions and Structure Plan(s) in the Bays West Place Strategy, (c) delivers on envisaged future character for sub-precincts, and (d) supports the delivery of the Big Moves in the Bays West Place Strategy. Consistency A planning proposal may be inconsistent with the terms of this direction only if the planning proposal authority can satisfy the Secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment (or their nominee), that: (a) the provisions of the planning proposal that are inconsistent are of minor significance, and / or (b) the planning proposal achieves the overall intent of the Bays West Place Strategy and does not undermine the achievement of the Plan’s Vision, Directions, Big Moves, and subprecinct future characters. Note: Map Sheet LAP_001 Bays West Place Strategy Ministerial Direction Map is available on the Department of Planning and Environment website. Issued to commence 1 March 2022 (replaces previous Direction 7.14)
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.