Local environmental plans (LEPs) guide planning decisions for local government areas. Through zoning and development controls, they allow councils and other consent authorities to manage the ways in which land is used. LEPs are the primary planning tool to shape the future of communities.

On 31 March 2006, the NSW Government gazetted a standard instrument for preparing new LEPs, also known the LEP template. Local plans across NSW will now use the same planning language, making it easier for communities to understand what is proposed for their local area. Councils are able to include localised planning objectives and provisions specific to their area, as well as determine zoning, additional land uses, heritage items, and development standards such as height and minimum lot sizes.

The primary objective of the amending order is to improve the efficiency of delivery of standard LEPs and it aims to:
• clarify the intention of zones through new and amended directions, objectives, mandatory land uses, and the renaming of the RU4 zone
• update clauses to conform with changes in legislation including the Heritage Act, and State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs) made subsequent to the SI order and
• ensure existing land use terms do not overlap across definitions and the relationship between definitions is clearer, through the inclusion of new terms, amendments to existing terms, and cross referencing the group term/sub-term relationships

The new planning framework aims to enable more streamlined development assessment processes, facilitate higher quality urban environment and desired development outcomes, and provide guidance towards a more sustainable future.

As Landscape Architects, we ought to make it a mission statement to contribute for the best in order to achieve great things in the landscape architecture, not just locally in Sydney, but Australia and eventually be a model for worldwide urban planning. In our demise to create landscape designs for new development, we ought to be strict on ourselves to bring out the best in others. Melbourne has always been talked about as the creative/artistic/innovative city in Australia over the past decade but if we start now Sydney we can make a difference. So come on Architects and Landscape Architects let’s make a difference.