Local Strategic Planning Statement

The Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) sets out a 20-year direction for strategic land use planning to guide future growth and change in our city.

The eight planning priorities contained in the LSPS are direct outcomes of the Community Strategic Plan 2025-2035, which articulates the vision, goals and community outcomes for our city. This alignment ensures Council, government agencies and the community can work together towards a shared vision for the city.  

The aim of the LSPS is to influence public and private investment so that it enhances the wellbeing of our people and the environment – making the city one of the most productive, adaptable, sustainable and liveable places in Australia.

LSPS is required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and is updated every four years after a Council election.

You can view our current LSPS online at lakemac.com.au.

Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, the Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) is required to be reviewed at least every seven years.

Our new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) was endorsed in February 2025, so now is a good time to update the LSPS to ensure it aligns with the CSP and other relevant regional strategic plans.

The vision for Lake Macquarie, as outlined in our 2025-2035 Community Strategic Plan is:

“Strategic growth for a sustainable future”

Our goals are:

• Economic – A city with a diverse and thriving economy
• Environmental – A city that protects and showcases its natural environment and is resilient to environmental change
• Social – A city where people want to live and work, and feel connected to each other
• Governance – A Council that operates with good governance, trust, transparency and respect.

These vision and goals were developed in consultation with our community. 

The LSPS forms part of Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework and supports our Community Strategic Plan, Delivery Program and Operational Plan. 

The eight planning priorities contained in this LSPS are direct outcomes of the Community Strategic Plan. This alignment ensures Council, government agencies and the community can work together towards a shared vision for the city.  

The planning priorities in the LSPS are reflected in Council’s Delivery Program and Operational Plan. The Delivery Program is Council’s four-year plan and it is where the planning priorities from the Local Strategic Planning Statement are translated into programs of work. It allows Council to determine what the priorities are and what is achievable over a four-year horizon. The Operational Plan is Council’s one-year action plan for achieving the priorities. An Operational Plan is prepared and adpoted each year and identifies the projects, programs and activities that Council will conduct to achieve the commitments of the Delivery Program based on available resourcing. The LSPS will also shape the Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan to ensure planning controls represent the city vision.

Planning priorities will be achieved through collaboration of all levels of government, the community and private investment. The planning priorities will guide advocacy to state and federal governments, grant funding applications, Council’s infrastructure planning, as well as rezonings and place-based planning. All requests to Council to change the Local Environmental Plan need to demonstrate consistency with the LSPS. 

The two growth areas, North West Growth Area and the Greater Morisset Area, have been identified in NSW Government’s Hunter Regional Plan 2041.

As detailed in this statement, each area has its own unique character, strengths and opportunities. We will continue place-planning for these areas to achieve best-fit significant housing and employment outcomes. See the North West Catalyst Area Place Strategy (adopted 9 December 2024) and the Morisset Place Strategy (currently being prepared).     

The Estimated Population Growth By Travel Zone 2026 -2066 mapping shows estimated population growth in our city in 5 year increments.  The different colour areas show the amount of additional people expected to live in an area by that year.

The city is forecast to grow by about 40,000 residents into 2046.

In the past, a lot of new housing in NSW has occurred by spreading out into new greenfield areas on the urban fringe. This approach has caused large areas of land clearing and biodiversity loss. It has also resulted in a large network of spread-out infrastructure which is costly to upgrade and maintain. Being so spread-out, it is not viable for a lot of people to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to their daily needs. This means most households are essentially forced to rely on private cars for most of their trips. While cars have an important role in the transport network, when most households are relying on cars for most of their trips, this causes significant traffic congestion.   

To enable long term infrastructure efficiency, we need to prioritise locations where it is most needed and will generate the most benefits.

Lake Macquarie has a network of vibrant and unique centres throughout our city. These centres are hubs for jobs, education, retail and health services, housing and social connection. By focusing on centres for housing, transport and infrastructure investment, more people can live close to their daily needs. This gives more people the choice to walk and cycle, and also makes public transport provision more feasible to deliver, upgrade and maintain. Enabling people to walk, cycle and use public transport helps to reduce the pressures which lead to traffic congestion.

The Draft LSPS includes a centres hierarchy where more housing is proposed based on access to transport networks, shops and services. This will be used as a tool to advocate for and deliver important transport infrastructure.

In the short to medium term, Council identifies transport projects it will deliver each year in the operational plan, and will continue to advocate for improvements to the State road and public transport network. In the long term, the LSPS sets the direction for land use so that we can move toward a future where our community has more transport choices.

Feedback may result in changes being made to the draft Local Strategic Planning Statement 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.