Proposed Amendments to Port Macquarie-Hastings Development Control Plans

At the Council meeting on 16 November 2023, the proposed changes to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Development Control Plan (DCP) were endorsed for public exhibition. This involves introducing a new Part C6 in response to recent Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) reforms allowing agritourism development as a form of agriculture in rural zones, and amend Part 2B (Environmental Management) to achieve consistency with amended state legislation and to correct implementation issues raised by Council’s Natural Resource Management and Development Assessment staff.

The proposed amendment to the DCP are as follows:

• Update the DCP to include a new Part C6 locally specific development controls for new agritourism land uses, farm stay accommodation, farm gate premises, farm experience premises and roadside stalls. The intent of these new controls is to guide farmers in setting up an agritourism business should they wish to use their land for new income streams.
  
  
• Update Part 2B Environmental Management (10-13) relating to tree preservation to revise references to outdated state legislation; correct omissions and interpretation anomalies identified through the processing of development applications and tree permit applications; and to update Table 1 with a locally specific schedule of trees for preservation under Chapter 2 of State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021.

Public Exhibition

The Draft DCP (with Agritourism and Housekeeping Amendment) will be on public exhibition from Thursday 23 November 2023 to Thursday 25 January 2025 and available for download in the Document Library on this page. The documents will also be available to view at Council’s offices in Port Macquarie (17 Burrawan Street), Wauchope (49 High Street) and Laurieton (9 Laurie Street), as well as at Council's Libraries in Port Macquarie (32 Grant Street), Wauchope (51 High Street) and Laurieton (9 Laurie Street).

During the exhibition, all interested persons are encouraged to view the Draft DCP and provide written comments. All comments received will be reported to a future Council meeting for consideration before a final decision is made. Note that any submission may be made public. Please advise if you wish for your name to be kept confidential. Anyone who makes a submission (or has a financial interest in the submission) is required by law to disclose any political donations and gifts (if any) made.

Documents for review:

• Report presented to the Ordinary Council Meeting of 16 November 2023
• DPE Model Development Control Plan Clauses for Agritourism
• Schedule of Proposed Integration of Model DCP Clauses to Port Macquarie Hastings Development Control Plan 2013
• Part 2B Tree Management Amendments
• Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Environmental Plan 2011
• Port Macquarie Hastings Development Control Plan

Have Your Say

You can provide your feedback on the proposed amendments by:

• Completing the online survey at haveyoursay.pmhc.nsw.gov.au; or
• Emailing your feedback to council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au; or
• Posting to:
  Chief Executive Officer
  Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
  PO Box 84
  Port Macquarie NSW 2444

All submissions must be received by close of business Thursday 25 January 2024.