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New South Wales regulation
The Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006 is a NSW Government rule that sets the template — a standardised blueprint — that every local council in New South Wales must use when writing its own local planning laws (called Local Environmental Plans, or LEPs).
Think of it like a fill-in-the-blanks form: the State Government creates the standard form, and each council fills it in with details specific to their area.
This law affects virtually everyone in NSW — homeowners, developers, businesses, farmers, and community groups — because it controls how land can be used across the entire state. If you want to build a house, open a shop, run a farm, or develop land, your local council's LEP (built on this template) determines what's allowed.
Before this standard instrument existed, every council had its own unique planning rulebook with different terminology, zone names, and rules. This was confusing for anyone dealing with multiple councils.
This law standardised the planning system so that:
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Direct links to the current provisions in Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006.
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View on official registerSourced from legislation.nsw.gov.au, CC BY 4.0.
If you're a homeowner or developer, this law indirectly shapes every development application (DA) you make. Your council's planning rules must follow this template, so understanding it helps you understand why certain activities are permitted or prohibited on your land.
If you're a business looking at new premises, the zone your property sits in — defined using this template — determines whether your type of business can legally operate there.