Planning for Certainty in Uncertain Times – The Standardised Local Planning System in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

In 2006, New South Wales (NSW) introduced a standardised local planning template, the Standard Instrument Local Environmental Plan, requiring all 152 councils to adopt new local plans within a set timeframe. However, implementation has been slow and contentious, with resistance from local governments, communities, and industry. By the 2011 deadline, only 31 councils had completed their plans. This paper analyses the motivations behind the standardisation, the efforts of successive governments to accelerate adoption, and the reasons for limited success. It explores tensions between centralised control and local autonomy, the influence of federal urban policy linking funding to strategic planning criteria, and the challenges of delivering housing and infrastructure amid rapid population growth. The discussion highlights the critical role of public consultation and suggests the need for new approaches to planning in NSW.