New Ashfield Local Environmental Plan & Urban Planning Strategy
Council's town planning controls are being reviewed to help ensure Ashfield remains a sustainable and vibrant place to live, work and play. The review process involves preparing a new Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which will apply to the whole Ashfield Council area. An LEP is a town planning document which has legal status. It contains land use zones and some key development controls such as maximum permitted building heights and floor space. The LEP will control development and guide planning decisions made by Council to achieve development outcomes compatible with the preferred role and character of different areas of Ashfield Municipality. Our new LEP will replace the Ashfield Local Environmental Plan 1985.
The new LEP must be prepared consistent with a standard format introduced by the State Government but will also include specific provisions applying to Ashfield. As part of the process, other more detailed planning controls which support the LEP included in Ashfield Development Control Plan 2007 will be reviewed to ensure they are consistent with the new Plan. An Urban Planning Strategy will also be prepared to underpin the content of the new LEP. This will communicate a medium to long-term vision (25 years) and framework for a wide spectrum of town planning related issues such as housing, open space and employment. The Strategy recommendations will be reflected in the new LEP provisions.
Preparation of the new LEP, Planning Strategy, and updating of our Development Control Plan is currently underway and will be completed during 2010-2011.
Listening to our community
It's important we all work together to decide what Ashfield Municipality should look like in the near future. Council will work closely with the community, including key stakeholders and interest groups, to help guide the direction of Ashfield's new planning controls (please read our community engagement principles for more information).
If you would like to register your interest in this project please Email us at info@ashfield.nsw.gov.au fax us on (02) 9716 1911 or write to Council at PO Box 1145 Ashfield 1800. You can also telephone our Customer Service Centre on (02) 9716 1800 and ask to speak to a Planning Coordinator concerning the new Ashfield LEP and Urban Planning Strategy. Please mention "Ashfield Principal LEP" when contacting Council.
Update 9 – 21 December 2011
Working Draft Local Environmental Plan
Council considered a town planning report 
Council Report.pdf (97.48 KB) and formally resolved on 13 December 2011 to forward the “Working Draft” Ashfield Local Environmental Plan to the Department of Planning & Infrastructure for permission to have it publicly exhibited in 2012 as a Draft LEP. A response is expected from the Department in the early part of the second quarter of 2012.
Council officers will prepare a community consultation strategy to ensure that many and varied opportunities will be made available for local residents and the business community to respond to the draft LEP at the time of its public exhibition.
Update 8 - 27 July 2011
Working Draft Local Environmental Plan
Council is currently considering a "Working Draft" Draft Local Environmental Plan as a basis for negotiiation with the
Department of Planning and Infrastructure. When agreement is reached the next step is formal exhibition of the draft plan.
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Update 7 - 15 October 2010
Adoption of Urban Planning Strategy
Following consideration of a 
report (96.13 KB) Council adopted the Ashfield Urban Planning Strategy (5.83 MB) at its meeting of 28 September 2010. The Strategy will be used to underpin the development of a new Draft Comprehensive Local Environmental Plan for Ashfield. Preliminary work to produce a working draft document will take place during the remaining part of 2010 and the first half of 2011.
Update 6 - 30 August 2010
Draft Urban Planning Strategy
The Draft Urban Planning Strategy concluded exhibition Friday 27 August 2010. The next step is for Council to consider a report on the matter (scheduled for 28 September 2010). Regular updates will be provided on this site. If you made a submission or just viewed the exhibition Council would like to thank you for your participation.
Update 5 - 23 July 2010
Draft Urban Planning Strategy is now on public exhibition
The Draft Urban Planning Strategy will be will be on exhibition from Monday 26 July 2010 until Friday 27 August 2010. Council wants public feedback on its contents. The aim of the Strategy is to communicate a medium to long-term town planning vision (25 years) and framework for a wide spectrum of related issues such as housing, open space, employment and heritage. The final Strategy recommendations as endorsed by Council will be reflected in a future new Local Environmental Plan (LEP) (the local town planning "law" for Ashfield).
Hard copies of the Strategy can also be viewed at:
- Ashfield Council Administration Building - Customer Service Centre - (adjacent to entrance to Ashfield Mall)
- Ashfield Library, 260 Liverpool Road, Ashfield (note - new location next to Liverpool Road)
- Haberfield Library, 78 Dalhousie Street, Haberfield
- Bastable Street Hall, 2 Bastable Street, Croydon
- Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill
Call Ms Breda Kelly on 9716 1962 if you would like a copy of the Draft Strategy mailed to you.
We will also hold "Open House" events, where anyone can drop in to look at the display of the Draft Urban Planning Strategy, talk with Council town planners, and have their say.
The Open House events will be held at:
1. Bastable Street Hall , Bastable Street, Croydon
Wednesday, 28 July - 3 pm - 6.30 pm
2. Haberfield Library - Michael Maher Room, 78 Dalhousie Street, Haberfield.
Monday 2 August - 4 pm - 7pm
3. Summer Hill Community Centre, 131 Smith Street, Summer Hill
Monday, 9 August - 4.pm - 7 pm
4. Ashfield Mall, Level 4, 260A Liverpool Road, Ashfield
Tuesday, 17 August - 11 am - 3 pm
After we receive your feedback we will provide a report to Council and we will keep you advised if you make a submission or if you have registered an interest in the process.
You can also talk to our town planners during normal office hours - Call Mr. Ron Sim on 9716 1971 or Mr. Con Colot on 97161977 if you have any questions or comments.
Have your say by writing to Council at PO Box 1145, Ashfield 1800, or email us at info@ashfield.nsw.gov.au . Please quote "Urban Planning Strategy and LEP Project" in the heading of your correspondence.
We hope you will take an interest in and participate in this important project so that we can listen to your concerns/suggestions and achieve the best possible outcomes for the Ashfield community
Update 4 - January 2010
Council's planning consultants have now produced a "working draft" of the Draft Urban Planning Strategy. The document will be workshopped by a dedicated Working Party of Councillors set up to steer the plan-making process which also includes representatives from the Department of Planning (State Government). The next step will be an extensive consultative process with the Ashfield community and other stakeholders/interested parties. Watch this space for more news about this important project.
Update 3 - August 2009
Before formulating our Urban Planning Strategy we needed to get preliminary community feedback to inform the process and the direction it should take .We did this as part of the public consultation process for "Ashfield's Biggest Conversation" (visit our home page links for more details). As part of this "Conversation" we held specific town planning events (see previous "Update 2" below). These initiatives together with other extensive consultation processes carried out as part of "Ashfield's Biggest Conversation" proved to be extremely useful in eliciting useful contemporary feedback.
What we are doing with feedback. Council will be using all feedback to produce a vision and inform guiding principles for the Urban Planning Strategy. Contact us if you want to leave feedback by calling (02) 9716 1800 and ask to speak to a strategic planning officer or you can write to Council at PO Box 1145 Ashfield 1800. You can also email us at info@ashfield.nsw.gov.au Please quote "Urban Planning Strategy and LEP Project' in any correspondence.
Keeping you informed about this project. Regular updates will be posted on this website as the Urban Planning Strategy progresses.
Update 2 - April 2009
Community feedback needed to help us prepare our Urban Planning Strategy!
Before starting any detailed work on the Urban Planning Strategy we need to get the public's views on what the guiding principles should be for the Strategy. We are doing this as part of the public consultation process for "Ashfield's Biggest Conversation" (visit our home page link for more details).As part of this "conversation" we are holding the following town planning events:
Open House - Wednesday 6 May 2009 at the Centre Court of Ashfield Mall (opposite Woolworths) between 11am and 3 pm. An open forum where anybody can drop in and have their say. There will be a town planning display and town planners available to talk with you and listen to your feedback.
Group workshops We are inviting people who have already registered an interest in the project together with any other interested people to talk to us at informal group workshops. These will be held early in May 2009.
If you would like to attend a workshop contact Ms. Breda Kelly on 9716 1962
Information Panels Information about community engagement associated with this major project can be viewed here Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
What we will do with your feedback. We will use feedback to produce a vision and guiding principles for the Urban Planning Strategy. Contact us by calling (02) 9716 1800 and ask to speak to a strategic planning officer or you can write to Council at PO Box 1145 Ashfield 1800. You can also email us at info@ashfield.nsw.gov.au Please quote "Urban Planning Strategy and LEP Project' in any correspondence.
Update 1 - September 2008
The "Ashfield Urban Strategy, Analysis and Issues" has been finalised and is now available for public viewing. The Analysis explains the current town planning makeup up of the Ashfield Municipality, i.e. "where we are at". It will be used as an information /reference document during the next stages of the Project which involves development of the Urban Planning Strategy.
Click on the following links to view the Analysis Parts1-3 / Parts 4-5 / Parts 6-8
Draft Inner west Subregional Strategy
In 2007, the State Government released the Draft Inner West Subregional Strategy. Subregional strategies have been developed to implement the Metropolitan Strategy at the local level. The State Government's aim for the subregional strategies is for them to act as a broad framework for the long term development of an area, guiding government investment and linking local and State planning issues. The Inner West Subregion includes the local government areas of Ashfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Leichhardt and Strathfield. Public exhibition of the draft Strategy recently concluded.
Council has considered the implications of the draft Inner West Subregional Strategy on the Ashfield Local Government Area. Council officers prepared a submission on the draft Strategy, highlighting that Ashfield Council can meet the specified housing and employment targets within the nominated timeframes. This has been demonstrated as part of Council's response to the housing "Metrix" dwelling forecasting tool developed by the Department of Planning and will be further substantiated as part of Council's Urban Planning Strategy process.