After consulting extensively with environment and community groups, Warringah Council realised it needed to come up with something different for its Local Environment Plan (LEP). The LEP is the regulatory document covering built form development. Warringah’s LEP will differ to the norm as it is ‘place based’, with 60 separate localities each with their own specific character.
Rather than using zoning, each locality plan will outline what people want the area to look like, including major desired characteristics, housing types and environmental considerations. All contained in the one document, people merely refer to their own locality to find out about set backs, heights and other development requirements.
Warringah believes the only other Council that has previously used a similar approach is the City of Adelaide. Again placing high priority on community consultation, a recent Feasibility Study found that people want the Warringah Aquatic Centre to be a recreation and leisure hub.
“People are looking for a combination of passive and active pursuits,” said Illana McLean. Manager Policy and Planning Services Unit. “This is a reflection of our modern lifestyle. People live integrated lives so they look for various activities, combining wet and dry such as gym, swimming, aerobics, netball and bushwalking.”
As with all planning initiatives in the area, transport facilities, access for people with disabilities, meeting the needs of families, young people and older people were all considered in the Study.
“Is Warringah livable? Is it a place you want to come to work, live or play? These are key questions we must address in all our planning,” Illana McLean concluded.
