C4 Environmental Living zone in NSW

C4 is a zone in the NSW Standard Instrument, and 61 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) use it. This page shows what the zone is for and what those councils allow in it, counted from each council’s own land use table.

Used by: 61 of the 147 council LEPs
Dwelling houses: allowed in 61 of the 61
Uses the table doesn’t name: prohibited in 61 of the 61
Tables as at: 19 August 2026

What the zone is for

Every council that uses C4 includes these objectives, word for word. They come from the Standard Instrument, the template all NSW council plans are built on:

To provide for low-impact residential development in areas with special ecological, scientific or aesthetic values.
To ensure that residential development does not have an adverse effect on those values.

34 of the 61 LEPs add objectives of their own, so the full list for a property depends on its council.

Can you build a house in C4?

A dwelling house is allowed in 61 of the 61 LEPs that use C4 (with consent in 61).

Whether a particular lot can take a house also depends on rules mapped to that lot, such as the minimum lot size, so check the address before relying on this.

Allowed in most councils (12)

Each number is a count of LEPs, not properties. No consent needed means the use itself doesn’t need a development application. With consent means it does. Can’t say is not a ban: either that council has no rule for the use, or it is a broad term whose types the table treats differently, so it depends on the type of project.

Use	No consent needed	With consent	Prohibited
Dwelling houses	0	61	0
Environmental protection works	25	36	0
Home occupations	61	0	0
Oyster aquaculture	0	61	0
Pond-based aquaculture	0	61	0
Roads	11	50	0
Tank-based aquaculture	0	61	0
Bed and breakfast accommodation	0	55	6
Home businesses	8	47	6
Home-based child care	15	33	13
Building identification signs	2	44	15
Recreation areas	0	46	15

Councils differ (28)

These uses are allowed by some councils that use C4 and prohibited by others, so the answer depends on which council the land is in.

Use	No consent needed	With consent	Prohibited	Can’t say
Environmental facilities	1	43	17	0
Business identification signs	1	42	18	0
Home industries	0	41	20	0
Dual occupancies (attached)	0	39	22	0
Community facilities	0	36	25	0
Flood mitigation works	2	32	27	0
Eco-tourist facilities	0	33	28	0
Water reticulation systems	1	32	28	0
Water storage facilities	1	32	28	0
Secondary dwellings	0	30	31	0
Extensive agriculture	15	14	28	4
Farm buildings	1	27	33	0
Emergency services facilities	0	26	35	0
Information and education facilities	0	24	37	0
Roadside stalls	0	23	38	0
Water supply systems	1	22	21	17
Cellar door premises	0	21	40	0
Dual occupancies	0	19	22	20
Farm stay accommodation	0	18	43	0
Water recycling facilities	0	18	43	0
Agritourism	0	17	40	4
Centre-based child care facilities	0	17	44	0
Respite day care centres	0	17	44	0
Water recreation structures	0	17	44	0
Horticulture	4	12	45	0
Intensive plant agriculture	3	7	43	8
Signage	0	9	15	37
Sewerage systems	0	8	41	12

Prohibited in most councils (20)

Most of the LEPs that use C4 prohibit these, either by naming them or through the catch-all rule below.

Show all 20

Use	No consent needed	With consent	Prohibited
Industries	0	0	61
Local distribution premises	0	0	61
Service stations	0	0	61
Warehouse or distribution centres	0	0	61
Caravan parks	0	7	54
Kiosks	0	7	54
Neighbourhood shops	0	7	54
Plant nurseries	0	7	54
Animal boarding or training establishments	0	8	53
Boat launching ramps	0	8	53
Backpackers’ accommodation	0	9	52
Home occupations (sex services)	1	8	52
Group homes	0	11	50
Health consulting rooms	0	11	50
Research stations	0	11	50
Jetties	0	12	49
Boat sheds	0	13	48
Recreation facilities (outdoor)	0	13	48
Places of public worship	0	14	47
Camping grounds	0	15	46

Uses the table doesn’t name

Every council’s table ends with a rule for anything it hasn’t listed. 61 of the 61 LEPs prohibit any use their C4 table doesn’t name.

That is why a use can be counted as prohibited above in more councils than actually name it.

What the zone doesn’t tell you

Lot size, height and floor space are set on the LEP maps for each property, so they vary within the same zone.
Heritage, flood and bushfire mapping can limit what is possible on a lot even where the zone allows it.
State policies can apply as well as the council’s table. Granny flats are dealt with under the Housing SEPP, and small works such as sheds can be exempt development under the Codes SEPP. See the NSW granny flat rules and NSW shed rules.

An address search shows all of this for one property.

Council LEPs that use C4 (61)

Some councils have more than one LEP, each covering part of the area.

Land zoned under a State Environmental Planning Policy rather than a council LEP, such as some growth precincts, isn’t included in these counts.

Frequently asked questions

What is C4 Environmental Living zoning in NSW?

C4 Environmental Living is one of the zones in the NSW Standard Instrument, used by 61 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans. Its first standard objective is: “To provide for low-impact residential development in areas with special ecological, scientific or aesthetic values.”

Can you build a house in C4 zoning?

A dwelling house is allowed in 61 of the 61 LEPs that use C4 (with consent in 61). Whether a particular lot can take a house also depends on rules mapped to that lot, such as minimum lot size, so check the address.

What happens to uses the C4 table doesn’t list?

61 of the 61 LEPs prohibit any use their C4 table doesn’t name. That catch-all rule is part of each council’s table, so a use can be prohibited in C4 without being named.

How do I check if my property is zoned C4?

Search the address on ZoneScout. It reads the zone from NSW Government planning data and shows that council’s own land use table, along with the lot size and any heritage, flood or bushfire mapping.

Sources

Land use tables as at 19 August 2026. Councils amend their LEPs, so confirm against the current plan for your land.

General information only, not planning advice. Whether a project counts as a particular defined use is a planning judgement for your council or a planner.

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