The Kempsey Development Control Plan (DCP) is a document that provides guidance and requirements for development that should be taken into account when preparing a Development Application (DA). If you’re developing land or property, whether that’s building a new house, expanding your business premises, subdividing land, installing a retaining wall or adding another level to your dwelling, the plan sets out provisions that you need to consider and address in your DA. The DCP helps us all plan and understand the impacts of our development, large and small. Maximizing the benefits, while reducing any negative impacts.

December 2024 Update (Latest)

Revised DCP – Progress

Council has continued preparation of a revised Kempsey Development Control Plan (DCP) following a series of briefings, discussions and workshops with Council’s own specialist teams, industry members and the community over the past months.

Thank you - Community comment and feedback

Thank you to all those who have read the background information, progress updates and participated in the surveys. To those who have attended briefing and discussion meetings thank you for sharing your experience using the DCP in development, local concerns, your ideas and comments, and your continued interest.

A further recent survey asked the community about the importance of trees in the Shire. This gave people the opportunity to suggest trees of local significance that will be considered within the environmental quality requirements of the new DCP. This survey is now closed. Thank you for the suggestions made.

All your feedback, comments, and inputs are being considered, as we progress the work.

Developing a draft revised DCP

Following the feedback of community and industry views mid this year we have been further refining the structure for the revised development control document. The revised DCP is to achieve:

1. A more concise Development Control Plan (DCP) document, through streamlining the content and removing outdated and duplicated information.
2. Step by step navigation from;
   • a. shire-wide requirements to
   • b. particular character locations, in “place based” requirements,
   • c. specific development type requirements, and finally
   • d. references and supporting information
3. The shire-wide requirements will include natural hazards, environmental quality, utility infrastructure and aboriginal cultural heritage provisions with reference to the appropriate current guidance at local and State Agency level.
4. Clarity around the DCP’s application in specific localities with cherished local

characteristics, with suitable requirements.

1. Requirements to cover the range of local land-uses; residential, business and commercial, industrial, tourism, and rural and agricultural development.
2. References; glossary and related sources of important information (e.g NSW State, Agencies and Kempsey Shire Council) that are necessary to inform and guide DCP users.

This will help to develop the revised document as a useful and practical guideline for the many different types of development across our Shire.

Next steps

Council will continue refining the proposed revised Development Control Plan (DCP) draft document, based on the internal reviews, considering community and local interest, and industry groups who have made comment.

The next step is to complete the draft DCP document and provide a further opportunity for community comment on the plan through public exhibition in the first quarter of 2025. We will continue to update you on progress.

Overview

The Kempsey Development Control Plan (DCP) is a document that provides guidance and requirements for development that should be taken into account when preparing a Development Application (DA). If you’re developing land or property, whether that’s building a new house, expanding your business premises, subdividing land, installing a retaining wall or adding another level to your dwelling, the plan sets out provisions that you need to consider and address in your DA. The DCP helps us all plan and understand the impacts of our development, large and small. Maximizing the benefits, while reducing any negative impacts.

NSW State legislation, development codes and standards change over time, reflecting new environmental and construction standards so it's important for us to update our own development controls to make sure that our local guidance is current, clear, consistent and easier to understand for everyone.

We have started a review of the existing DCP. We are identifying relevant current codes and requirements with the aim to propose smart revisions and necessary changes. This project will progress throughout 2024 and will run to mid 2025.

Our first step is to identify development issues that are important for consideration. As the DCP particularly involves local people, community groups and businesses who are involved in land, property, development and construction we want to understand your experiences in these areas.

Be part of the DCP Review

To help us shape this review we have previously completed community surveys, if you wish to be a part of the DCP please keep an eye out for any surveys that may appear here.

What happens next?

Surveys, feedback, and comments will be collated and will assist Council to craft the next stage of engagement which may include face to face meetings to explore any issues before drafting commences.

If you wish to understand the Development Control Plan revision process more, you can reach out to the contacts on this page or by emailing us at ksc@kempsey.nsw.gov.au or by calling us on 02 6566 3200.

The 'Scheduled of prescribed trees' survey closed on Friday 20 December 2024.- Thank you to everyone who participated and took the time to give feedback.