SP1 Special Activities zone in NSW
SP1 is a zone in the NSW Standard Instrument, and 78 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
- 78 of the 147 council LEPs
- Uses the table doesn’t name
- prohibited in 77 of the 78
- Tables as at
- 19 August 2026
What the zone is for
Every council that uses SP1 includes these objectives, word for word. They come from the Standard Instrument, the template all NSW council plans are built on:
- To provide for special land uses that are not provided for in other zones.
- To provide for sites with special natural characteristics that are not provided for in other zones.
- To facilitate development that is in keeping with the special characteristics of the site or its existing or intended special use, and that minimises any adverse impacts on surrounding land.
11 of the 78 LEPs add objectives of their own, so the full list for a property depends on its council.
Allowed in most councils (1)
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 | Can’t say |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaculture | 0 | 78 | 0 | 0 |
Councils differ (2)
These uses are allowed by some councils that use SP1 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 protection works | 21 | 10 | 47 | 0 |
| Roads | 7 | 23 | 48 | 0 |
Prohibited in most councils (1)
Most of the LEPs that use SP1 prohibit these, either by naming them or through the catch-all rule below.
Show all 1
| Use | No consent needed | With consent | Prohibited | Can’t say |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental facilities | 6 | 4 | 68 | 0 |
Uses the table doesn’t name
Every council’s table ends with a rule for anything it hasn’t listed. 77 of the 78 LEPs prohibit any use their SP1 table doesn’t name. The other 1 allows 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 SP1 (78)
Some councils have more than one LEP, each covering part of the area.
- Albury LEP 2010
- Bathurst Regional LEP 2014
- Bayside LEP 2021
- Bega Valley LEP 2013
- Bellingen LEP 2010
- Blacktown LEP 2015
- Blue Mountains LEP 2015
- Broken Hill LEP 2013
- Byron LEP 2014
- Camden LEP 2010
- Campbelltown LEP 2015
- Canterbury-Bankstown LEP 2023
- Central Coast LEP 2022
- Clarence Valley LEP 2011
- Coffs Harbour LEP 2013
- Cootamundra LEP 2013
- Corowa LEP 2012
- Cumberland LEP 2021
- Eurobodalla LEP 2012
- Fairfield LEP 2013
- Glen Innes Severn LEP 2012
- Gloucester LEP 2010
- Gundagai LEP 2011
- Gunnedah LEP 2012
- Hawkesbury LEP 2012
- Hunters Hill LEP 2012
- Inner West LEP 2022
- Inverell LEP 2012
- Ku-ring-gai LEP 2015
- Kyogle LEP 2012
- Lake Macquarie LEP 2014
- Leeton LEP 2014
- Liverpool LEP 2008
- Liverpool Plains LEP 2011
- Maitland LEP 2011
- Manly LEP 2013
- Mid-Western Regional LEP 2012
- Moree Plains LEP 2011
- Mosman LEP 2012
- Murray LEP 2011
- Nambucca LEP 2010
- Narrabri LEP 2012
- Narromine LEP 2011
- Newcastle LEP 2012
- North Sydney LEP 2013
- Parkes LEP 2012
- Parramatta LEP 2023
- Penrith LEP 2010
- Pittwater LEP 2014
- Port Macquarie-Hastings LEP 2011
- Port Stephens LEP 2013
- Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional LEP 2022
- Randwick LEP 2012
- Richmond Valley LEP 2012
- Ryde LEP 2014
- Shellharbour LEP 2013
- Shoalhaven LEP 2014
- Snowy River LEP 2013
- Strathfield LEP 2012
- Sutherland Shire LEP 2015
- Sydney LEP 2012
- Tamworth Regional LEP 2010
- Temora LEP 2010
- Tumut LEP 2012
- Tweed City Centre LEP 2012
- Tweed LEP 2014
- Upper Hunter LEP 2013
- Upper Lachlan LEP 2010
- Wagga Wagga LEP 2010
- Walgett LEP 2013
- Warringah LEP 2011
- Wentworth LEP 2011
- Willoughby LEP 2012
- Wingecarribee LEP 2010
- Wollondilly LEP 2011
- Wollongong LEP 2009
- Yass Valley LEP (Parkwood) 2020
- Yass Valley LEP 2013
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 SP1 Special Activities zoning in NSW?
SP1 Special Activities is one of the zones in the NSW Standard Instrument, used by 78 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans. Its first standard objective is: “To provide for special land uses that are not provided for in other zones.”
What happens to uses the SP1 table doesn’t list?
77 of the 78 LEPs prohibit any use their SP1 table doesn’t name. The other 1 allows such uses with consent. That catch-all rule is part of each council’s table, so a use can be prohibited in SP1 without being named.
How do I check if my property is zoned SP1?
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
- Standard Instrument—Principal Local Environmental Plan (NSW legislation) ↗
- Council Local Environmental Plans (legislation.nsw.gov.au) ↗
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.
Talk to a town planner in New South Wales
This page covers the general rules. A qualified town planner can tell you what applies to your block, including the zone, overlays and approval path, before you spend money on drawings.
- Qualified, practising town planners
- Advice specific to your property
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