Rezoning
Rezoning land or amending Council’s LEP is a legal process which must be carried out in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
The rezoning process can be time consuming and needs the support of both the Council and the NSW State Government Department of Planning.
Planning proposal
The first step in the rezoning process is to consult with Councils planning staff. The next step is the preparation of a planning proposal. A planning proposal justifies the proposed zoning change and provides information on the need for the proposal.
This information can include:
- The net community benefit of the proposal
- The relationship of the proposal with strategic plans and policies
- The environmental, social and economic impact of the proposed rezoning.
The planning proposal is often written by Council planning staff however, where a property owner has requested a rezoning it will be necessary for the person requesting the amendment (‘the applicant’) to make a submission to Council outlining the reason for the request and justifying the need for the amendment, in a similar way as a planning proposal. When complete, rezoning land alters the range of uses which are permissible on the site.
Political Donations and Expenditure Declaration
When commenting on or submitting a rezoning request or other proposal any political donation or electoral expenditure totalling $1,000 or more which has been made in the last two years must be declared. It is a criminal offence not to declare a reportable political donation or electoral expenditure.
For more information on political donations and expenditure declaration forms please refer to council’s political donations information.
Further Information
Further information on the rezoning process can be found on the Department of Planning website 
. For more information please contact Council’s Strategic Planning Services Unit on 4974 2000.
Contact us
City Administration Centre
282 King Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
Tel: 02 4974 2000