The Development Controls Plans (DCPs) are to be amended to include draft controls for ridgelines and steep land within the Camden Local Government Area (LGA).

Reason for Amendment

The proposed controls for ridgelines and steep land respond to amendments made to the Oran Park Contributions Plan, which was amended on 14 March 2024. Removal of ridgeline open space from the Oran Park Contributions Plan means that ridgelines and steep land in private ownership will likely be identified for other land uses, including residential development.

Summary of Proposed Amendments

The draft controls have been prepared to amend the Camden Growth Centre DCP (Section 2.17), Camden DCP 2019 (Section 2.7) and the Oran Park DCP (Section 6.10). The controls have been designed to work in conjunction with precinct specific controls that may also be prepared.

The key objectives of the controls are to:

• Maintain, protect and enhance the environmental values of ridgeline land;
• Maintain the social and economic values of ridgeline land;
• Manage and reduce the natural/environmental hazards on ridgeline land;
• Ensure development responds to the natural environment and its visual amenity;
• Ensure the scale, location and height of buildings recedes into the landscape; and
• Ensure the design follows the slope of the land to minimise cut and fill.

These proposed controls will apply to Development Applications for land with a slope 15 per cent or more, and to land on or near the top of a ridgeline (regardless of slope). Development Applications (DAs) proposing subdivision on ridgelines and steep land will be required to address visual landscape, geotechnical, biodiversity, bushfire, and heritage matters. The controls may include covenants on property titles (under Section 88B of the Conveyancing Act 1919), management for bushfire protection and vegetation management and land stability measures.

The draft controls will also assist in informing the future protection and management of ridgelines and steep land.

Exhibition period: Monday 24 June 2024 until 5pm Monday 22 July 2024.

An extract of each draft DCP Amendment – Ridgelines and Steep Land and the Council Report can be downloaded from the Document Library (right column).

They can also be viewed in person at the:

• Customer Service Centre, 70 Central Avenue, Oran Park;
• Oran Park Library, 72 Central Avenue, Oran Park;
• Camden Library, 40 John Street, Camden; and
• Narellan Library, corner Queen and Elyard Streets, Narellan.

You are encouraged to read the draft amendments to see if there are any changes relevant to you.

Written submissions are welcome up to 5pm, Monday 22 July 2024 and can be:

• completed using the online form (below) ↓
• hand delivered during business hours to our Administration Building, 70 Central Avenue, Oran Park NSW 2570
• posted to The General Manager - Attention: Alexandra Saprun, Strategic Planning, Camden Council, PO Box 183, Camden NSW 2570
• sent via email to mail@camden.nsw.gov.au