Planning Policies

Policies and Codes can generally be described as a set of principles, rules and guidelines that have been adopted by Council.

Council’s adopted policies are to be read in conjunction with the Strathfield Local Environmental Plan 2012 and Strathfield Consolidated Development Control Plan 2005.

Current Planning Policies and Codes

Stormwater Management Code
Interim Flood Prone Land Policy

Local Strategic Planning Statement

You can see the Local Strategic Planning Statement, Strathfield 2040, here(PDF, 16MB).

You can see the Implementation Plan for the Local Strategic Planning Statement, Strathfield 2040, here(PDF, 1MB).

Stormwater Management Code

The Strathfield Council Stormwater Management Code is intended to provide a clear statement of policy in relation to the requirements and methods relating to stormwater drainage for all types of development.

All Concept Stormwater Management Plans submitted with a development application are to be prepared by a suitably qualified engineer and designed in accordance with this code.

Note: It is recommended that any engineering issues are discussed with Council’s Engineer at the pre-lodgement stage, prior to lodging a development application.

Click on the PDF link below to view Council’s Stormwater Management Code.

Stormwater Management Code 1994(PDF, 847KB)

Interim Flood Prone Land Policy and Flood Studies

Flood Studies

Under the NSW Government’s Flood Prone Land Policy (the “Policy”), the management of flood liable land remains the responsibility of Local Government.

In order to implement the Policy within its local government area (LGA), Strathfield Municipal Council has embarked on a program of flood studies and actions as set out in the NSW Floodplain Development Manual (2005) under the guidance of Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH).

As part of Council’s Floodplain Management Program, Council has completed the following flood studies:

Boundary Creek Flood Study and Floodplain Management Study and Plan 1998
Cooks River and Coxs Creek Flood Study prepared by WMAwater dated October 2010
Powells Creek and Saleyards Creek Flood Study prepared by WMAwater dated November 2016

Click on the PDF links below to view Council’s Flood Study documents.

Interim Flood Prone Land Policy

Council has an Interim Flood Prone Land Policy, which was adopted by Council in 1999. Council is currently working on updating this document to align with the recent flood study findings.

Click on the PDF link below to view Council’s Interim Flood Prone Land Policy.

Flood Planning Study Area Map(PDF, 973KB)

Interim Flood Prone Land Policy(PDF, 165KB)

Cooks River and Coxs Creek Flood Study October 2010(PDF, 62MB)

Boundary Creek Floodplain Management Study and Plan(PDF, 99MB)

Powells Creek Flood Study Appendix C(PDF, 19MB)

Powells Creek Flood Study November 2016(PDF, 64MB)

Draft Plans, Amendments and Policies

All draft policies and plans go on exhibition at the following locations:

On Council’s website (https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au);
On Council’s eNews;
At Strathfield Main Library, 65-67 Rochester Street, Homebush (during library open hours); and

Making a submission

Any person can make a submission in writing on the items on exhibition as per table below. Submissions must be lodged with Council no later than 5pm on the closing date listed and should be addressed to the CEO, Strathfield Council and posted to PO Box 120, Strathfield NSW 2135 or e-mailed to: council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au

Section 94 and 94A Development Contributions Plans

Strathfield Council has two (2) Development Contributions Plans. They apply to all land within the Strathfield Local Government Area:

Section 94 Direct Development Contributions Plan 2010 – 2030 Version 2 ( 27 Sept 2016)
Section 94A Indirect Development Contributions Plan (3 September 2010)

Section 94 Direct Development Contributions Plan 2010 – 2030

Section 94 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) enables councils to levy contributions to fund additional or upgrade public facilities and infrastructure (eg. Local and major parks, road and traffic improvements and community facilities) resulting from the increased demands of new population created by development. The Strathfield s94 Direct Contributions Plan 2010-2030 (2) provides the administrative framework for this process.

Development that creates additional dwellings (including secondary dwellings, granny flats, dual occupancy and multi-unit development) or net additional industrial, retail, commercial or tourism floorspace will be subject to levies under the s94 Plan. The Strathfield LGA is divided into precincts (refer to Precinct Plan or see link below). Different levies apply to each land use within each precinct.

Section 94A Indirect Contributions Plan 2010

Section 94A of the EP&A Act enables councils to levy contributions for the provision of additional public facilities and infrastructure resulting from demand created by development. In this case, the levy is calculated as a percentage on the proposed cost of development. The Strathfield s94A Plan provides the administrative framework for this process.

This Plan applies to any development (other than the exemptions listed on page three) within the Strathfield LGA that is not subject to the Direct (s94) Plan, including knock-down/rebuild or houses, house extensions and alterations and industrial, commercial or retail redevelopment that does not involve increasing the floorspace. The levies only apply to development with costs greater than $100,000 (Refer to Schedule 1 of Plan).

A cost summary report will need to be provided to allow Council to determine the contribution required. Refer to Part D for a sample report.

Complying Development Certificates and Contributions

Development contributions are required for Complying Developments assessed by private certifiers. The types of development include alterations/additions; knock-down/rebuilds; complying secondary dwellings (granny flats) and certain industrial.

Private certifiers may contact Council’s Strategic Planning Section on 02 9748 9999 to obtain an estimate of the contributions required for particular developments. A cost summary report will be required. It should be noted that the payment of contributions are required prior to any works commencing

It should also be noted that security bonds may also be required to be paid prior to commencement of works. Refer to Council’s Works Permit Application Process.

Strathfield Section 94 Plan (Direct Plan)(PDF, 7MB)

Precinct Plan(PDF, 601KB)

Strathfield Section 94A Plan (Indirect Plan)(PDF, 4MB)

Contribution Rates per development type by precinct - March 2025(PDF, 232KB)

Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plans

The two (2) main planning documents that guide development in the Strathfield Local Government Area are the:

Strathfield Local Environmental Plan 2012; and
Strathfield Consolidated Development Control Plan 2005.

Strathfield Local Environmental Plan 2012

A Local Environmental Plan (LEP) is the principal legal document for guiding and controlling development at the local government level. An LEP controls how land is used and developed through zoning and development controls.

The Strathfield Local Environmental Plan (SLEP) 2012 was gazetted on 15 March 2013 and came into force on 29 March 2013. Additional provisions within the SLEP 2012 relate to the conservation of Strathfield’s heritage, preservation of trees and vegetation, development within the Strathfield Town Centre and within the Parramatta Road Corridor, and protection of environmentally sensitive areas.

Click here to view the SLEP 2012 written instrument.

Click here to view the SLEP 2012 associated maps.

Strathfield Consolidated Development Control Plan 2005

A Development Control Plan (DCP) provides detailed planning and design guidelines to support the planning controls in the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and is prepared and adopted by Council.

Strathfield Council’s Consolidated Development Control Plan (SCDCP) 2005 was adopted by Council on 4 April 2006 and came into force on 3 May 2006. The SCDCP 2005 is a comprehensive document that contains multiple parts to address different land uses and development matters.

Amendment to development controls for certain residential development effective 1 September 2026

On 28 July 2026, Strathfield Council adopted the General Residential Development Control Plan (DCP), which will be incorporated into SCDCP 2005 as an amendment and is effective from 1 September 2026.

The General Residential DCP will replace the following sections of SCDCP 2005:

Part A – Dwelling Houses and Ancillary Structures
Part B – Dual Occupancy Development
Part C- Multiple Unit Housing

The General Residential DCP covers the following development types:

Dwelling Houses
Secondary Dwellings
Dual Occupancies
Multi-Dwelling Housing
Terraces
Manor Homes

General Residential DCP - Adopted V1(PDF, 7MB)

The new General Residential DCP 2026 should be used if you are preparing a development application for the above listed development types and expect to lodge your development application on or after 1 September 2026. Savings provisions apply for any relevant development application lodged prior to 1 September 2026.

The new General Residential DCP must be applied in conjunction with the remaining relevant sections of SCDCP 2005 (such as Part H, Part O, etc). Where there is an inconsistency between a control in the new General Residential section of the DCP and another section, please contact Council’s Duty Planner for advice.

Site Specific Development Control Plans

Council also has five (5) site specific Development Control Plans. Where there is any inconsistency between any site specific DCP and the SCDCP 2005, the site specific DCP prevails. The following site specific DCPs were reviewed and adopted by Council on 6 October 2020 and came into force on 13 October 2020: