Zoning

What is zoning?

Councils use zoning to designate areas within their local government area for residential, commercial and industrial activities and development. Zoning helps councils bring about orderly growth, manage change and protect special areas. These include heritage conservation areas and areas with high ecological values.

If you are planning to develop your property or use a premises, the property's zoning determines whether your development is permitted or prohibited on that land. An environmental planning instrument, such as a Local Environmental Plan (LEP), will specify the zoning of every property in the area it applies to.

Identifying zoning and development permissibility

1. Property zoning

Search our online mapping tool 

Apply online for a 10.7(2) Planning Certificate

Note: we cannot confirm the zoning of a property over the phone or by email.

Online mapping tool LEP descriptions:

  • 'KLEP - 2015' = Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015

2. Is my development permitted or prohibited?

Once you know the property's zoning and LEP, view the instructions in the land use table.

Note: The Land Use Table provides a list of land use definitions that are permitted with consent or prohibited in each zone. For example, in a R2 Low Density Residential zone, a 'dwelling house' is listed as permitted (with consent). Using 'dwelling house' as an example, development next to a house (eg. pool, fence, driveway) is considered permitted by the zoning.

For some developments, zoning and development permissibility can be complex and difficult to identify (read Planning Circular: How to characterise development(PDF, 261KB)). In these cases we recommend you get professional advice from a qualified town planner.

Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015

View the Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015 Written Instrument

  1. Check which definition matches your development proposal in the dictionary.
  2. Check the Land Use Table to see if your development is permitted (with consent) or prohibited
  3. Some properties have additional permitted development (with consent) where the zoning would ordinarily prohibit the development - check Schedule 1 Additional Permitted Uses.
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