W1 Natural Waterways zone in NSW

W1 is a zone in the NSW Standard Instrument, and 63 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: 63 of the 147 council LEPs
Uses the table doesn’t name: prohibited in 63 of the 63
Tables as at: 19 August 2026

What the zone is for

Every council that uses W1 includes these objectives, word for word. They come from the Standard Instrument, the template all NSW council plans are built on:

To protect the ecological and scenic values of natural waterways.
To prevent development that would have an adverse effect on the natural values of waterways in this zone.
To provide for sustainable fishing industries and recreational fishing.

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

Allowed in most councils (3)

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
Aquaculture	0	63
Environmental facilities	2	61
Environmental protection works	26	37

Councils differ (18)

These uses are allowed by some councils that use W1 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
Water recreation structures	0	45	18	0
Boat launching ramps	0	40	23	0
Jetties	0	40	23	0
Moorings	3	37	23	0
Flood mitigation works	2	36	25	0
Boat sheds	0	34	29	0
Roads	1	33	29	0
Recreation areas	1	30	32	0
Mooring pens	0	29	34	0
Water reticulation systems	4	25	34	0
Building identification signs	0	26	37	0
Business identification signs	0	25	38	0
Wharf or boating facilities	0	22	41	0
Water supply systems	0	21	31	11
Emergency services facilities	0	20	43	0
Research stations	0	19	44	0
Community facilities	0	18	45	0
Information and education facilities	0	16	47	0

Prohibited in most councils (17)

Most of the LEPs that use W1 prohibit these, either by naming them or through the catch-all rule below.

Show all 17

Use	With consent	Prohibited
Business premises	0	63
Hotel or motel accommodation	0	63
Industries	0	63
Local distribution premises	0	63
Multi dwelling housing	0	63
Recreation facilities (major)	0	63
Residential flat buildings	0	63
Retail premises	0	63
Seniors housing	0	63
Service stations	0	63
Warehouse or distribution centres	0	63
Restricted premises	1	62
Marinas	7	56
Extractive industries	8	55
Recreation facilities (outdoor)	9	54
Water recycling facilities	12	51
Charter and tourism boating facilities	14	49

Uses the table doesn’t name

Every council’s table ends with a rule for anything it hasn’t listed. 63 of the 63 LEPs prohibit any use their W1 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 W1 (63)

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 W1 Natural Waterways zoning in NSW?

W1 Natural Waterways is one of the zones in the NSW Standard Instrument, used by 63 of the 147 council Local Environmental Plans. Its first standard objective is: “To protect the ecological and scenic values of natural waterways.”

What happens to uses the W1 table doesn’t list?

63 of the 63 LEPs prohibit any use their W1 table doesn’t name. That catch-all rule is part of each council’s table, so a use can be prohibited in W1 without being named.

How do I check if my property is zoned W1?

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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