FAQs

A Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is the term given to a high level concept plan for development in Wilton Growth Area. A Neighbourhood Plan is prepared for land that has been rezoned and is required before a Development Application (DA) is lodged for subdivision of land or building a home in the growth area. 

The Plan should visually communicate the layout and design outcomes sought for the area.

A Neighbourhood Plan needs to be consistent with Wilton 2040 - a plan for the Wilton Growth Area prepared by the Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment - and the relevant precinct structure plan. 

The detail provided with a Neighbourhood Plan should include (as a minimum): 

• number of dwellings
• location of low and medium density housing 
• location of schools, community facilities, local centres, employment areas 
• identification of public transport corridors, bicycle and pedestrian networks
• location of open space, 
• buffers such as Bushfire Asset Protection Zones (APZs); noise and air emission.

It is important to note that a Neighbourhood Plan is a high level document, and while it will include the location of schools, facilities and other infrastructure, the timing, ownership, funding and delivery of those infrastructure items are secured through other planning processes. The processes may include special infrastructure contributions, planning agreements and local contributions, and will run separately to the Neighbourhood Plan. Importantly, the Neighbourhood Plan will not prejudice these processes.  

This Policy's aim is to guide the Neighbourhood Planning process for internal and external stakeholders to ensure consistency across the entirety of the process. 

The Policy is intended to improve assessment efficiencies throughout the Neighbourhood Planning process. This has been created due to current limited statutory framework in place to guide the process. The Policy will also guide future development in Wollondilly. 

The following challenges faced currently, and not limited to, will be addressed by the Draft Policy:

• Uncertainty regarding the process of completing a Neighbourhood Plan, including the correct level of detail needed.
• Stakeholders are currently not necessarily aware of the purpose and scope of Neighbourhood Plans.
• The potential for Development Applications to be lodged concurrently with a Neighbourhood Plan. 
• The contentious nature of growth area planning.
• Limited statutory framework currently in place.
• The difficulty in ensuring Neighoburhood Plans do not allow for an unreasonable amount of the precinct dwelling cap to be taken up by earlier-lodged applications. 

In order to provide a clear outline of the desired Precinct Planning Principle that link both Wilton 2040 and the Wilton DCP Appendix B Precinct Planning Principles, a new section has been inserted into Appendix 1 of the Policy, as follows

2.2 Planning Principles

The Planning Principles outlined within Wilton 2040: A plan for the Wilton Growth Area and

Appendix B of Wilton DCP 2021 shall be addressed in the covering report and/or spatially in

any mapping, as appropriate.

These planning principles relate to the following themes:

• Social Infrastructure;

• Green Tree Canopy/Corridors;

• Heritage;

• Landscape, including: Protecting and enhancing important habitats, Wilton Green Plan

(as described in the Wilton DCP), Waterway Health, and Bushfire Protection;

• Land Use;

• Built Form;

• Residential Density;

• Movement; and

• Wilton Town Centre