ZoneScout

MU1 Mixed Use zone in NSW

MU1 is a zone in the NSW Standard Instrument, and 87 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
87 of the 147 council LEPs
Dwelling houses
allowed in 39 of the 87
Uses the table doesn’t name
allowed with consent in 72 of the 87
Tables as at
19 August 2026

What the zone is for

Every council that uses MU1 includes these objectives, word for word. They come from the Standard Instrument, the template all NSW council plans are built on:

  • To encourage a diversity of business, retail, office and light industrial land uses that generate employment opportunities.
  • To ensure that new development provides diverse and active street frontages to attract pedestrian traffic and to contribute to vibrant, diverse and functional streets and public spaces.
  • To minimise conflict between land uses within this zone and land uses within adjoining zones.
  • To encourage business, retail, community and other non-residential land uses on the ground floor of buildings.

63 of the 87 LEPs add objectives of their own, so the full list for a property depends on its council.

Can you build a house in MU1?

A dwelling house is allowed in 39 of the 87 LEPs that use MU1 (with consent in 39). It is prohibited in 48.

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 (38)

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.

UseNo consent neededWith consentProhibitedCan’t say
Amusement centres08700
Boarding houses08700
Building identification signs87900
Business identification signs68100
Car parks08700
Centre-based child care facilities08700
Commercial premises08700
Community facilities08700
Entertainment facilities08700
Function centres08700
Home industries68100
Information and education facilities08700
Light industries08700
Local distribution premises08700
Medical centres08700
Oyster aquaculture08700
Passenger transport facilities08700
Places of public worship08700
Recreation areas08700
Recreation facilities (indoor)08700
Registered clubs08700
Respite day care centres08700
Restricted premises08700
Roads206700
Shop top housing08700
Tank-based aquaculture08700
Tourist and visitor accommodation08700
Vehicle repair stations08700
Home occupations641940
Veterinary hospitals08340
Environmental protection works275460
Home businesses117060
Home-based child care215970
Flood mitigation works27780
Service stations072150
Hostels068190
Advertising structures067200
Residential flat buildings067200

Uses the table doesn’t name

Every council’s table ends with a rule for anything it hasn’t listed. 15 of the 87 LEPs prohibit any use their MU1 table doesn’t name. The other 72 allow such uses with consent.

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 MU1 (87)

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 MU1 Mixed Use zoning in NSW?

MU1 Mixed Use is one of the zones in the NSW Standard Instrument, used by 87 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans. Its first standard objective is: “To encourage a diversity of business, retail, office and light industrial land uses that generate employment opportunities.”

Can you build a house in MU1 zoning?

A dwelling house is allowed in 39 of the 87 LEPs that use MU1 (with consent in 39). It is prohibited in 48. 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 MU1 table doesn’t list?

15 of the 87 LEPs prohibit any use their MU1 table doesn’t name. The other 72 allow such uses with consent. That catch-all rule is part of each council’s table, so a use can be prohibited in MU1 without being named.

How do I check if my property is zoned MU1?

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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