Overview

At its meeting of 26 May 2025, Council resolved to submit a housekeeping planning proposal to amend floor space ratio (FSR) controls in the Woollahra Local Environmental Plan 2014 (Woollahra LEP 2014) to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) seeking a Gateway determination to proceed with formal public engagement. Council also resolved to exhibit the Draft Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 (Amendment No. 36) (Draft DCP) concurrently with the planning proposal, should a Gateway determination be received.

A Gateway determination is part of DPHI's process, in which DPHI review strategic and site-specific merit and whether the planning proposal should proceed to public exhibition.

Council received a Gateway determination on 3 October 2025, determining that the planning proposal should proceed to public exhibition. Council was designated to exercise local plan-making authority functions in relation to the planning proposal.

The planning proposal and the Draft DCP were placed on public exhibition from 19 November 2025 to 19 December 2025.

Thank you to everyone who made a submission. Your participation is valuable in helping to shape Council's planning controls to ensure they reflect the views of the whole community.

You can still find everything you need to know about the exhibition on this page, including FAQs and links to important documents.

The Planning Proposal for Public Exhibition and Draft DCP can be viewed below under ‘Document Library’ > ‘Exhibition Documents’.

About the planning proposal

The planning proposal addresses two administrative and housekeeping matters resulting from the finalisation of planning proposal to insert FSR and urban greening provisions into the Woollahra LEP 2014 which came into force in 2023.

The two administrative and housekeeping matters the new planning proposal addresses are:

1. Establishes FSR controls for all development in the R2 Low Density Residential zone

The planning proposal will establish FSR controls for certain development including non-residential land uses (such as child care centres and office premises) in the R2 Low Density Residential, replacing current floorplate controls in the Woollahra DCP 2015. These changes will not apply to land within the Paddington, Watsons Bay and Woollahra Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs)

2. Clarifies the residential development in the Paddington, Watsons Bay and Woollahra HCAs which are exempt from FSR controls

The planning proposal clarifies the intended built form outcomes for attached dwellings, dwelling houses, dual occupancies and semi-detached dwellings in these HCAs. They will be principally covered by Woollahra DCP 2015 controls, which are considered more appropriate and preferable to FSR controls.

More information about the proposal can be found on the NSW Planning Portal.

About the Draft DCP

The proposed amendments to the Woollahra LEP 2014 require a number of consequential and administrative amendments to Chapter A1 Introduction and Administration and Chapter B3 General Development Controls of the Woollahra DCP 2015. The amendments to Chapter B3 involve the complete deletion of the existing floorplate controls, which currently apply to certain land uses (such as childcare centres and office premises) previously omitted under PP-2021-3786.

Intended outcomes

The revised controls are intended to simplify the calculation of permissible floor space and clarify FSR exemptions to certain residential development in the Paddington, Watsons Bay and Woollahra HCAs.

Have your say

From 19 November 2025 to 19 December 2025 we asked for feedback on the proposed amendments. Submissions were accepted via the online submission form below as well as by email or mail quoting SC8469.

A hard copy of the exhibition material was available at the Woollahra Council Customer Service area, 536 New South Head Road, Double Bay – 8.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

All submissions received during the exhibition period will be considered by Council.

Submissions closed at 11.59pm, Friday 19 December 2025.

See privacy note under FAQs on this page.