SP3 Tourist zone in NSW
SP3 is a zone in the NSW Standard Instrument, and 50 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
- 50 of the 147 council LEPs
- Dwelling houses
- allowed in 14 of the 50
- Uses the table doesn’t name
- prohibited in 44 of the 50
- Tables as at
- 19 August 2026
What the zone is for
Every council that uses SP3 includes this objective, word for word. They come from the Standard Instrument, the template all NSW council plans are built on:
- To provide for a variety of tourist-oriented development and related uses.
34 of the 50 LEPs add objectives of their own, so the full list for a property depends on its council.
Can you build a house in SP3?
A dwelling house is allowed in 14 of the 50 LEPs that use SP3 (with consent in 14). It is prohibited in 36.
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 (18)
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 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Food and drink premises | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Roads | 13 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| Tourist and visitor accommodation | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Function centres | 0 | 47 | 3 | 0 |
| Information and education facilities | 0 | 46 | 4 | 0 |
| Environmental protection works | 22 | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| Building identification signs | 2 | 42 | 6 | 0 |
| Recreation areas | 0 | 44 | 6 | 0 |
| Business identification signs | 1 | 42 | 7 | 0 |
| Recreation facilities (indoor) | 0 | 43 | 7 | 0 |
| Recreation facilities (outdoor) | 0 | 41 | 9 | 0 |
| Environmental facilities | 2 | 38 | 10 | 0 |
| Kiosks | 0 | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| Entertainment facilities | 0 | 39 | 11 | 0 |
| Camping grounds | 0 | 38 | 12 | 0 |
| Caravan parks | 0 | 38 | 12 | 0 |
| Community facilities | 0 | 38 | 12 | 0 |
Councils differ (38)
These uses are allowed by some councils that use SP3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter and tourism boating facilities | 0 | 32 | 18 | 0 |
| Neighbourhood shops | 0 | 32 | 18 | 0 |
| Registered clubs | 0 | 32 | 18 | 0 |
| Eco-tourist facilities | 0 | 31 | 19 | 0 |
| Recreation facilities (major) | 0 | 30 | 20 | 0 |
| Water recreation structures | 0 | 30 | 20 | 0 |
| Amusement centres | 0 | 28 | 22 | 0 |
| Boat sheds | 0 | 28 | 22 | 0 |
| Flood mitigation works | 0 | 28 | 22 | 0 |
| Water reticulation systems | 5 | 23 | 22 | 0 |
| Helipads | 0 | 27 | 23 | 0 |
| Passenger transport facilities | 0 | 27 | 23 | 0 |
| Signage | 0 | 26 | 5 | 19 |
| Car parks | 1 | 24 | 25 | 0 |
| Marinas | 0 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| Markets | 0 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| Boat launching ramps | 0 | 24 | 26 | 0 |
| Emergency services facilities | 0 | 23 | 27 | 0 |
| Jetties | 0 | 23 | 27 | 0 |
| Water recycling facilities | 0 | 23 | 27 | 0 |
| Centre-based child care facilities | 0 | 21 | 29 | 0 |
| Home occupations | 14 | 6 | 30 | 0 |
| Respite day care centres | 0 | 20 | 30 | 0 |
| Home businesses | 2 | 17 | 31 | 0 |
| Mooring pens | 0 | 19 | 31 | 0 |
| Roadside stalls | 0 | 19 | 31 | 0 |
| Water supply systems | 0 | 19 | 23 | 8 |
| Cellar door premises | 0 | 17 | 33 | 0 |
| Moorings | 2 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
| Places of public worship | 1 | 16 | 33 | 0 |
| Service stations | 0 | 15 | 35 | 0 |
| Sewage treatment plants | 0 | 15 | 35 | 0 |
| Dwelling houses | 0 | 14 | 36 | 0 |
| Highway service centres | 0 | 14 | 36 | 0 |
| Viticulture | 1 | 13 | 36 | 0 |
| Shops | 0 | 10 | 20 | 20 |
| Sewerage systems | 0 | 6 | 26 | 18 |
| Residential accommodation | 0 | 1 | 32 | 17 |
Prohibited in most councils (51)
Most of the LEPs that use SP3 prohibit these, either by naming them or through the catch-all rule below.
Show all 51
Uses the table doesn’t name
Every council’s table ends with a rule for anything it hasn’t listed. 44 of the 50 LEPs prohibit any use their SP3 table doesn’t name. The other 6 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 SP3 (50)
Some councils have more than one LEP, each covering part of the area.
- Bathurst Regional LEP 2014
- Bayside LEP 2021
- Bega Valley LEP 2013
- Blue Mountains LEP 2015
- Bombala LEP 2012
- Bourke LEP 2012
- Broken Hill LEP 2013
- Byron LEP 2014
- Camden LEP 2010
- Central Coast LEP 2022
- Cessnock LEP 2011
- Clarence Valley LEP 2011
- Coffs Harbour LEP 2013
- Cowra LEP 2012
- Dubbo Regional LEP 2022
- Eurobodalla LEP 2012
- Fairfield LEP 2013
- Forbes LEP 2013
- Great Lakes LEP 2014
- Greater Hume LEP 2012
- Greater Taree LEP 2010
- Griffith LEP 2014
- Gundagai LEP 2011
- Hay LEP 2011
- Hilltops LEP 2022
- Hornsby LEP 2013
- Kempsey LEP 2013
- Lake Macquarie LEP 2014
- Maitland LEP 2011
- Manly LEP 2013
- Mid-Western Regional LEP 2012
- Murray LEP 2011
- Nambucca LEP 2010
- Newcastle LEP 2012
- Oberon LEP 2013
- Orange LEP 2011
- Penrith LEP 2010
- Pittwater LEP 2014
- Port Macquarie-Hastings LEP 2011
- Shoalhaven LEP 2014
- Snowy River LEP 2013
- Sutherland Shire LEP 2015
- Tamworth Regional LEP 2010
- The Hills LEP 2019
- Tweed LEP 2014
- Walgett LEP 2013
- Wentworth LEP 2011
- Wingecarribee LEP 2010
- Wollongong LEP 2009
- Woollahra LEP 2014
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 SP3 Tourist zoning in NSW?
SP3 Tourist is one of the zones in the NSW Standard Instrument, used by 50 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans. Its first standard objective is: “To provide for a variety of tourist-oriented development and related uses.”
Can you build a house in SP3 zoning?
A dwelling house is allowed in 14 of the 50 LEPs that use SP3 (with consent in 14). It is prohibited in 36. 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 SP3 table doesn’t list?
44 of the 50 LEPs prohibit any use their SP3 table doesn’t name. The other 6 allow such uses with consent. That catch-all rule is part of each council’s table, so a use can be prohibited in SP3 without being named.
How do I check if my property is zoned SP3?
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.
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