Blue Mountains City Council

Development Control Plans

Council has a number of Development Control Plans (DCPs), some providing guidelines for a type of development or activity, some applying to specific localities. A list of Council's current DCPs is provided below. In most instances, the DCP's title gives a reasonable indication of its purpose.

Better Living DCP: This Development Control Plan provides practical information aimed at encouraging development that retains and enhances the remarkable character of the Blue Mountains. It is part of a suite of documents that form a blue print towards a more sustainable future. It contains all the relevant issues, design principles, performance criteria and standards for development. Click here for more information.
Echo Point (DCP 5): This plan aims to provide urban design guidelines necessary to ensure that further development in the Echo Point precinct is sympathetic to the predominant character, environmental quality and residential amenity of the area. (Adopted: 19 July 1988.) Download at right. 
Significant Trees (DCP 9): The purpose of this Development Control Plan is to identify and protect those trees listed on the Register; promote greater public awareness of the existence of the Register, and the individual items listed; ensure existing and, importantly, prospective land owners, are made aware of the Significant Trees which may be located on their property; and ensure correct on-going care and maintenance of those trees listed, through the recommendations included with the significant tree register. (Adopted: 21 June 1988.) Download at right.
Water Board Staging Plan (DCP 11): The aim of this Plan is to indicate the schedule of works for improvement to the Blue Mountains, sewerage systems, and consequent dates for release of land for subdivision consideration. This plan will be updated as and when the Water Board updates its schedule for improvement works. (Adopted: 10 March 1992, Amended: 15 December 1992, 27 July 1993 and 11 August 1993.)  Download at right.
Sorensens Nursery Site, Herbert Street, Leura (DCP 14): This plan aims to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the subject land. (Adopted: 10 December 1991, Effective: 30 April 1992 and Amended: 8 June 1993.) Download at right.
Parklands, Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath (DCP 15): The aim of this Plan is to provide measures for identifying the existing physical and heritage attributes of the property known as “Parklands”, which will ensure that future development of the site protects its existing character and is in accordance with Council’s Planning objectives. (Adopted: 22 October 1992.) Download at right.
Various Glenbrook Streets (DCP 17): This Plan aims to promote the orderly and efficient subdivision of the area by providing a road layout to guide the subdivision of individual lots. (Adopted: 15 December 1992.) Download at right.
Katoomba Golf Course (DCP 19): The purpose of this plan is to provide additional details of Council's requirements in relation to any proposal for the redevelopment of the Katoomba Golf Course for the purpose of tourist facilities and residential development or for the reconstruction of the golf course or its clubhouse or any part thereof. (Adopted: 11 April 1995 and Effective: 26 April 1995.) Download at right.
Advertising and Information Signage (DCP 21): This DCP is a policy to balance the need for advertising and information signage with the broader public interest for maintaining and enhancing the local character of buildings, towns and the surrounding areas in which the signage is located. (Adopted: 18 September 2001 and Effective: 1 October 2001.) Download at right.
Public Infrastructure Works in Subdivisions and Developments (DCP 31): This provides standards for design of public infrastructure works to meet those uses, the environmental, safety and public amenity issues, and Council requirements. (Adopted: 11 May 1999, Effective: 19 May 1999, Amendment Adopted: 13 March 2001, Amendment Effective: 21 March 2001, Amendment Adopted: 19 February 2002 and Amendment Effective: 6 March 2002.) Download at right.
The Ritz, Leura (DCP 32): This DCP is to guide and assist any future development to ensure that it is sympathetic to the cultural significance of the site and its surrounding areas. (Adopted: 26 June 1999 and Effective: 7 July 1999.) Download at right.
Exempt and Complying Development (DCP 33): State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP) specifies exempt development under that Policy. The Codes SEPP has state-wide application and commences on 27 February 2009. Consequently, from that date the exempt development provisions (for the development types covered by the Codes SEPP) in DCP 33 will no longer apply. A copy of the Codes SEPP is available at: www.planning.nsw.gov.au. Further information on the General Housing Code is available at: www.planning.nsw.gov.au. For further information please email planningreform@planning.nsw.gov.au or call the Department of Planning's Information Centre on Freecall 1300 305 695 or (02) 9228 6333. This DCP covers development that can be carried out without Council consent (Exempt); and limited categories of development that are not considered to impact adversely on adjoining owners and which may be certified by private, accredited certifiers (Complying). (Adopted: 24 August 1999, and Effective: 1 January 2000.) Download at right.
Community Consultation for Land Use Management (DCP 35): This Policy document outlines the procedures for public consultation undertaken in relation to all of the major development / land management tasks performed by the Council. These procedures are a combination of statutory requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Local Government Act 1993 and the Council's practice which applies in addition to those statutory requirements. (Adopted: 24 August 1999, Effective: 1 January 2000, Amendment Adopted: 30 September 2003 and Amendment Effective: 1 November 2003.) Download at right.
Residential Swimming Pool Safety (DCP 36): This development control plan is under review and should not be used. The Swimming Pools Regulation 2008 now calls up AS 1926-2007- Australia Standard Swimming Pool Safety Part 1: Safety barriers for swimming pools, to be the standard for all child resistant barriers surrounding swimming pools. (The DCP was Adopted: 7 September 1999 and Effective: 1 October 1999.) Download at right.