What’s permitted in a zone
What each planning zone allows, in the scheme’s own words — 273 zones across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. Check your address to see which zone actually covers the land.
How to read these pages
- The lists use official planning terms, not everyday names like “cafe” or “Airbnb”.
- If a use is not listed, it is not automatically banned. Some zones have a catch-all; others do not, and then this page cannot say.
- Heritage, flood, bushfire and the details of the building can still change what you need to apply for. Search your address before you rely on a list.
By state
In NSW, each council has its own Local Environmental Plan — R2 in Parramatta is not the same list as R2 in Blacktown. Victoria and Tasmania publish a state standard that councils can vary. South Australia and the ACT have one rulebook for the land. Queensland and Western Australia leave the table to each council.
This comes straight from the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) that applies to this exact address, not a general state guide.
136 zones →Your council can vary this in their own scheme.
28 zones →No statewide list of what is allowed — each council writes its own.
Queensland →South Australia has one planning rulebook for the whole state — there are no separate council schemes — so this table is the actual law for this land.
65 zones →No statewide list of what is allowed — each council writes its own.
Western Australia →Your council can vary this in their own scheme.
21 zones →The ACT has one Territory Plan for the whole territory, so this table applies directly to your land — there’s no separate council version to check.
23 zones →The planning scheme has a table, but ZoneScout cannot yet match it to an NT address.
Northern Territory →Frequently asked questions
Does this tell me whether I can open a cafe, Airbnb or childcare centre?
No. The lists use each planning scheme’s official names, not everyday ones. Whether your project counts as one of those names is a judgement call — search the official term, then check your address, or talk to a planner.
If a use is not listed, is it banned?
Not by itself. Some zones have a catch-all that covers anything unlisted; others do not, and then this page cannot say. Only a use listed as prohibited is banned in that zone.
Why is there no list for Queensland or Western Australia?
Neither state publishes one statewide table of what is allowed in each zone. Each council’s planning scheme decides. Search an address to see the zone, then check that council’s scheme.
General guidance only — not planning advice. These pages copy the published land use table; they do not decide what your project is. Last sourced: 19 August 2026.
Talk to a town planner
This page covers the general rules. A qualified town planner can tell you what applies to your actual block — the zone, the overlays and the approval path — before you spend money on drawings.
- Qualified, practising town planners
- Advice on your property, not a generic rule
- No cost, no obligation