The new draft Local Environment Plan has finally been adopted by council after 92 days of public exhibition, 595 written submissions raising 4985 issues, a series of seven extraordinary meetings and a similar number of briefings for councillors.
It will now be presented to the state government but there are fears the residential character conservation zone, a clause designed to protect the heritage areas of the Mountains, may not be approved.
The previous state planning minister, Brad Hazzard, gave in-principle support for the inclusion of R6, the residential character zone.
But his successor, Pru Goward, in a letter to mayor Mark Greenhill earlier this year, suggested the zone could be "at risk" because it is not part of the state government's standard template.
Several councillors raised the issue at the November meeting where the plan was adopted.
Clr Romola Hollywood said council had made a "compelling submission on why the character zone is needed", which was to retain the "look and feel and character of the Blue Mountains for both tourists and residents".
Clr Chris Van der Kley said he had had lengthy discussions with members of the community and "they are all saying they want to keep the character of the Mountains the way it is".
Clr Don McGregor said the zone "not only has the effect of protecting the world heritage area it does actually give the unique character of the Blue Mountains in its built form a particular significance".
He also said that both Victoria and Queensland had recently introduced state-wide character zones into their standard environment plans.
Clr Greenhill has warned that without the R6 zone, local character in towns like Glenbrook, Lawson, Leura and Blackheath could be gradually lost.
"We are talking about some parts of the city where such housing zones actually act to attract tourists," he said.
If it was excluded by the state government, it raised the spectre of "McMansions up and down the highway".
Council will now await the Planning Department's consideration of the DLEP.
- The new LEP means council also has to prepare a new Development Control Plan. This provides detailed controls for permissible land use and guides the management of potential impact of developments on water, biodiversity, heritage, traffic and parking, among other areas. The draft DCD is on exhibition until December 10. See bluemountainshaveyoursay.com.au/draftdcp2014 for further information and to make a submission.
