Frequently asked Questions

Planning Ryde: Local Strategic Planning Statement 2020 outlines Council’s direction for housing, employment, transport, recreation, environment and infrastructure over the next 20 years. It will help guide future land use decisions through planning priorities, principles and actions that build on the City’s strengths and opportunities as well as addressing key issues and challenges.

It integrates evidence from other City of Ryde technical studies underway, including a local housing strategy, employment lands study, creative industries study and infrastructure strategy.

The document is structured to show consistency with the Greater Sydney Commission’s North District Plan, which sets out planning priorities and actions to be implemented by councils in the district (Ryde, Hornsby, Hunter’s Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches and Willoughby).

Amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 in March 2018 required all NSW councils to prepare a Local Strategic Planning Statement and publicly exhibit it by 1 October 2019.

The requirements for the Local Strategic Planning Statement are set out in Section 3.9 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, and note that the document must include the following at a minimum:

• The basis of strategic planning in the area, including consideration of economic social and environmental matters
• Planning priorities that are consistent with any strategic plan for the area and the applicable community strategic plan
• Actions required for achieving those planning priorities
• The basis on which Council is to monitor and report on the implementation of those actions. 

The Local Strategic Planning Statement is also required to build on and be consistent with higher level plans including the Greater Sydney Commission’s Greater Sydney Region Plan – A Metropolis of Three Cities and the North District Plan. 

It will inform decisions about strategic land use planning including the assessment of planning proposals to rezone land and future amendments to Council's Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plan (DCP). It will also inform broader policies and strategies, such as Council’s local housing strategy.

Together, these documents will provide a robust and consistent planning framework to guide all Council decisions.

Planning Ryde will also form the basis of collaborative and advocative planning work that Council undertakes with the NSW Government and other relevant stakeholders. 

• Council prepared a draft of Planning Ryde by building on a number of existing adopted plans, including the Community Strategic Plan.
• In accordance with the requirements of the Greater Sydney Commission, the draft Planning Ryde also built on the strategic directions set out in the Greater Sydney Commission’s Greater Sydney Region Plan – A Metropolis of Three Cities and the North District Plan.
• On 25 July 2019, Council resolved to publicly exhibit the draft Planning Ryde from 1 July to 12 August 2019.
• The draft statement was refined following community feedback received during the exhibition period.
• At its meeting of 12 December 2019, Council considered the results of the exhibition and submissions received; and resolved to refer the updated Planning Ryde to the Greater Sydney Commission.
• The Greater Sydney Commission supported the draft statement as being consistent with the Greater Sydney Region Plan and North District Plan.
• Following receipt of Greater Sydney Commission support, Planning Ryde was in effect on 31 March 2020. 

Planning Ryde will inform Council decisions about strategic land use planning. This includes our assessment of planning proposals to amend the Ryde Local Environmental Plan.  It will also be used in the preparation of amendments to the Ryde Development Control Plan 2014, Council policy, studies, and other documentation. 

The current NSW planning system guides land use in the City of Ryde and includes six key documents. These form a hierarchy, where each plan is subject to the requirements set out in the plans ranked above.

Planning Ryde responds to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the Act), State Environmental Planning Policies, Ministerial Directions under the Act and the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Plan and District Plan.

Planning Ryde sets the 20-year vision for the Ryde LGA and guides Councils’ more detailed plans, planning controls and policies – including the LEP and DCP. 

All planning proposals must comply with the targets, planning priorities and actions of Planning Ryde.

The Greater Sydney Commission requires councils’ Local Strategic Planning Statements to be updated every seven years to ensure it continues to meet the needs of their community.

City of Ryde Council is committed to updating it to ensure it reflects current local trends. 

Council will continue to exhibit proposals and policy updates in accordance with the requirements of the EP&A Act and Council’s Community Participation Plan.

Council will engage the community whenever Planning Ryde is to be updated. Council will also seek community feedback on plans developed as part of key actions of Planning Ryde, such as the local housing strategy.