Town planning · Hawkesbury City NSW
Town planning in Hawkesbury. Work with flood and landscape.
Hawkesbury is excluded from nominated LMR Housing areas by the NSW Government because of flood, bushfire and evacuation hazards. Windsor and Richmond should not be described as nominated LMR centres. Residential feasibility must instead be assessed against the site's operative local and State planning controls. We provide site feasibility, PPRs, DA and SEE services, CD Planning Assessments, BASIX and NatHERS.
Current housing provisions
Low and Mid-Rise Housing in Hawkesbury City
The NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy expressly excludes Hawkesbury from nominated LMR areas on flood, bushfire and evacuation grounds. Other development types remain subject to the property-specific LEP, DCP and State planning controls.
Hawkesbury is excluded from nominated LMR Housing areas by the NSW Government because of flood, bushfire and evacuation hazards. Windsor and Richmond should not be described as nominated LMR centres. Residential feasibility must instead be assessed against the site's operative local and State planning controls.
NSW Government reference
Hawkesbury is not one of the eligible nominated LMR local government areas. Read the NSW Government's exclusions before considering any proposal.
Read the NSW LMR exclusionsOfficial centre selection
Hawkesbury LMR exclusion
There are no Hawkesbury centres on the NSW Government's nominated LMR list. This does not prevent investigation of lawful non-LMR development options under the applicable zoning and controls.
Official source: NSW Planning — policy exclusions.
Statutory planning controls
Hawkesbury LEP 2012 and Hawkesbury DCP 2023 and retained DCP 2002
Hawkesbury LEP 2012 provides zoning and development standards. Hawkesbury DCP 2023 replaced only selected chapters of Hawkesbury DCP 2002; other provisions from 2002 continue to apply. Growth precinct land, including parts of Vineyard, may be governed by separate Central River City SEPP controls rather than ordinary Council DCP rules.
Land application maps, operative amendments, any mapped precinct boundaries and the proposed type of development must be checked. An address alone does not identify every applicable control.
Applicable standards may depend on local and State instruments, site constraints and any transitional provisions. We recommend verifying these before making substantial design commitments.
Local planning considerations
Flood exposure, rural lot configuration and subdivision
The Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain, evacuation capacity, flood planning levels, bushfire-prone land, on-site wastewater and rural subdivision controls can materially affect the available development pathway. Properties around Windsor, Pitt Town, Richmond and rural settlements cannot be screened reliably using residential zoning alone.
These issues may require additional survey information, civil engineering advice or other specialist reports, depending on the nature of the proposed works and approval pathway.
Issues to identify early
Site considerations affecting feasibility
Flooding and evacuation
Check flood-hazard information, evacuation routes and restrictions on intensifying development.
Bushfire and native vegetation
Review bushfire mapping, tree/vegetation requirements and possible specialist reports.
Rural servicing and subdivision
Assess minimum lot sizes, effluent disposal, road access and essential services.
Special precincts
Identify land to which a State precinct SEPP and different DCP apply.
Planning consultancy services
How we can assist in Hawkesbury City
Preliminary Planning Reports (PPRs)
Identify development opportunities, zoning, controls, likely approval pathways and key site risks. Explore planning advice.
Site and housing feasibility
Review LMR applicability where relevant, land-use permissibility, mapped planning constraints and the appropriate initial development strategy.
Development Applications and SEE
Prepare Statements of Environmental Effects, review consultant reports and plans, and assist with DA compilation and lodgement under the agreed scope. Explore DA services.
CD Planning Assessments
Review relevant Codes SEPP planning provisions for CDC applications to Building Certifiers. Explore CD Planning Assessments.
Planning Approvals prepares compliance advice and CD Planning Assessments, but does not issue CDCs. A Building Certifier independently determines whether the statutory requirements are met and whether a CDC may be issued. LMR Housing permissibility does not automatically create a CDC pathway. Find a Certifier on the NSW Government register.
In-house sustainability services
BASIX and Accredited NatHERS assessments
Planning Approvals provides in-house BASIX services and thermal assessments by an Accredited NatHERS Assessor. Services include BASIX certification, NatHERS ratings and practical advice about glazing, insulation and construction materials. Explore BASIX and NatHERS services.
Our approach
Establish the pathway first.
Resolve important controls before detailed development design.
Site controls
Check zoning, LEP, DCP, State policies, planning maps and constraints.
Planning feasibility
Assess development standards, design issues and information requirements.
Assessment documents
Prepare agreed PPR, SEE or CD Planning Assessment and recommendations.
Common questions
Planning questions in Hawkesbury City.
Which local planning controls apply to my property?
Hawkesbury LEP 2012 and Hawkesbury DCP 2023 and retained DCP 2002 are the starting point, subject to the land application mapping and any separate State policies or local precinct controls.
Does Low and Mid-Rise Housing allow my development?
No automatic entitlement arises from a suburb name or map. Hawkesbury is excluded from the NSW Government's nominated LMR areas.
What should we check before detailed design?
Check flood-hazard information, evacuation routes and restrictions on intensifying development. Review bushfire mapping, tree/vegetation requirements and possible specialist reports. A Preliminary Planning Report can help establish the important planning issues early.
Can you assist with a Development Application or Statement of Environmental Effects?
Yes. We offer planning advice, SEE preparation, review of consultant information and DA documentation/lodgement assistance by engagement.
Can Planning Approvals issue a CDC?
No. We prepare CD Planning Assessments for Building Certifiers, who independently determine whether a CDC may be issued.
Official planning references:
Hawkesbury City · Project enquiry
Considering a project in Hawkesbury City?
Tell us the address and proposed development so we can outline a suitable planning assessment.