Changes to Business and Industry Zones

Published on 31 May 2022

The Department of Planning and Environment is currently exhibiting the translation of existing Business and Industrial zones into the new Employment zones. The exhibition is being held on the department’s Planning Portal for 6 weeks from 31 May 2022 to 12 July 2022.

This is the implementation stage of a reform that replaces Business and Industrial zones with Employment zones within individual local environmental plans across NSW. Implementation follows the introduction the Employment zones within the Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006 in December 2021.  

The department has worked closely with each council to ensure LEPs are amended, consistent with the intent of the reform, while also ensuring the land-use planning outcomes are locally appropriate. After the exhibition the department will be working with councils to finalise implementation ahead of the new zones coming into force on 1 December 2022.  

To view the detail of the exhibition and make a submission please visit the department’s Planning Portal and Employment Zones Reform web page for general information on the reform process.

If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Planning and Environment on 1300 420 596 or by email at employment.zones@planning.nsw.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions

We have been updating the Frequently Asked Questions on the Employment Zones Reform webpage as we commence public exhibition. Once exhibition commences updated FAQs will go live. You may wish to refer community members to the Frequently Asked Questions by adding the link to your website to coincide with the public exhibition.