Draft Citywide Development Contributions Plans

Development contributions are fees charged by Council, on new development, which are used to fund infrastructure provided by Council. Playgrounds, sporting fields, shared pathways, local road upgrades and community facilities are all examples of infrastructure that can be funded by development contributions.  

Development contributions can only be spent on new or upgraded facilities. Contributions cannot be spent on maintenance, repairs and operating expenses. 

Council reviews contribution plans to ensure they reflect the latest forecast growth across the city and include the facilities needed for growth.

The city is forecast to grow by about 29,000 people between 2025 to 2039. About 14,000 additional workers are also expected to take up jobs in Lake Macquarie during that same period.  

The draft Section 7.11 Citywide Development Contributions Plan 2025, and the draft Section 7.12 Citywide Development Contributions Plan 2025 are on public exhibition and submissions can be made by Thursday 25 September 2025.  

This plan levies residential development (e.g. housing subdivisions and multiple dwelling developments) and some commercial development. The plan covers a 15-year period and it is proposed that the plan will replace Council’s current contribution catchment plans for Belmont, Charlestown, Glendale, Morisset, Toronto and Northlakes. 

Levies in this plan are calculated based on the additional people and traffic generated by a development proposal. The levies and infrastructure forecast are outlined in the plan. 

This plan levies commercial development for the facilities needed for the forecast increase of commercial development. The plan covers a 15-year period and it is proposed that the plan will replace Council’s current section 7.12 Citywide Development Contributions Plan. Levies are calculated based as a percentage of the cost of development. The levies and infrastructure forecast are outlined in the plan. 

The draft Section 7.11 Citywide Development Contributions Plan 2025 plan lists facilities to be funded from the section 7.11 contributions held by Council (see Appendix B of the plan). This list of facilities aligns with Council’s Delivery Program and annual operational plans, which supports our community’s strategic direction as outlined in the Community Strategic Plan.  

The section 7.12 contributions held by Council will be spent on infrastructure listed in the draft Section 7.12 Citywide Development Contributions Plan 2025 (see Schedule B of the plan). 

You can visit Council's development contributions webpage, email  [email protected] or call 02 4921 0333.  

Submissions must be made in writing and received by Thursday 25 September 2025. 

You can choose to: 

• provide written feedback via the online submission form on this website 

• email [email protected] with the subject heading ‘Citywide Development Contributions’ 

• write to Lake Macquarie City Council Attn: Integrated Planning, Box 1906, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW, 2310. 
   

Your submission can be as concise or as long as you wish 

Ideally, you will express your level of support for the proposal and provide detailed and specific feedback. The feedback will be reviewed by staff and later presented to Council to make an informed decision. 

Should multiple submissions be received from a single resident regarding this project, the feedback will be reviewed by staff and counted as one submission when reporting back to Council. 

Any submission received by Council will be publicly available on Council’s website. Submissions may also be accessed under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. Council may reproduce submissions in Council reports or in Court proceedings. 

If you have made a reportable political donation or gift in the last two years your submission must be accompanied by a "Disclosure Statement of Political Donations and Gifts where Council is Approval Authority - Submitters" Form.  For more information on reportable political donations or gifts, or to download a copy of this form go to lakemac.com.au  and search for "Political Donations Submitters". Please note failure to complete a statement, if a Political Donation/Gift has been made, is an offence under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. 

Feedback may result in further changes being made to the Citywide Development Contributions Plans prior to a report being prepared for Council. 

You will be notified again, prior to Council considering the matter, which will include a link to the Council report containing a summary of submissions and how feedback was considered.