| Council is inviting feedback on the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy to inform future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) – the LSPS. |
Council engaged consultants Egis Oceania to prepare the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy (ELS).
The Bathurst ELS considers “employment lands” as all land that is zoned in the Bathurst Regional Local Environment Plan 2014 (LEP) as:
Zone | Locality |
E1 Local Centre | City’s Neighbourhood Activity Centres |
E2 Commercial Centre | Central Business District (CBD) |
E3 Productivity Support | Large Format Retail (LFR)/Bulky Goods at Kelso. Service Trade Centre, Mitchell Highway |
E4 General Industrial | Kelso Industrial Park Historic industrial locations (e.g Simplot) |
The ELS also considers the City’s special precincts under the SP1 Special Activities, SP2 Infrastructure and SP3 Tourist zonings but does not include these land areas within the calculations for future employment land demand given their special purpose nature (e.g. airport, Mount Panorama precinct).
Figure 3, page 15, of the ELS provides a location map of the City’s existing employment lands.
The ELS builds on the previously adopted strategies of Council being:
- Bathurst CBD and Bulky Goods Business Development Strategy 2011;
- Bathurst Urban Strategy 2007 (as it relates to industrial lands); and
- Bathurst Retail Strategy 1999.
The Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy is provided in the document library.
What are the aims and objectives of the Strategy?
The Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy aims to support Council in planning for future employment growth. It serves as a foundation for land use decisions, helping determine whether to maintain or adjust zonings for employment landuse. Specifically, the strategy:
- Provides strategic direction for employment land in the Bathurst Region Local Government Area (LGA).
- Considers the retail centres hierarchy for the City of Bathurst.
The Strategy provides guidance for future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – the Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) and highlights where detailed environmental investigations and infrastructure planning are required to inform subsequent review/s of the Bathurst Regional Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LEP) and the Bathurst Regional Development Control Plan 2014 (DCP).
Vision Bathurst 2040 – the Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) can be reviewed on Council's website
The City Structure Plan map under the LSPS is included in the document library.
The objectives of the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy are to:
- Identify and review the existing employment lands in the Bathurst Regional LGA.
- Identify challenges, opportunities and growth influences for employment lands.
- Consider the centres hierarchy within the Bathurst Regional LGA.
- Analyse current land supply, future demand and provide a projection of future floorspace and land requirements.
- Identify locations for future growth considering the known constraints in the Bathurst Regional LGA and potential infrastructure opportunities.
- Present recommendations to ensure developable employment land is available to meet projected demand.
- Prepare an Employment Lands Strategy as a guiding document for future land use planning, investment and management.
- Identify and plan for the local and state infrastructure required to support the growth of employment lands to 2041.
- Undertake a peer review of the Stewarts Mount Planning Proposal and associated Social and Economic Land Use Report and integrate the findings into the broader Employment Lands Strategy to inform zoning, infrastructure planning, and commercial viability considerations for the precinct.
What has Council resolved to date?
At its meeting held 15 April 2026, Council resolved to:
- receive the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy and apply its findings and recommendations to guide future decisions on the provision and planning of employment lands within the City of Bathurst;
- place the Bathurst Employments Lands Strategy on its website and the Bathurst Yoursay site and invite and consider feedback from the community and landholders to inform its ongoing implementation;
- commence an amendment to update Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Regional Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) in line with relevant outcomes from the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy, including updates to the City Structure Plan map, taking account of feedback received in relation to recommendation (2) above;
- commence an amendment to the Bathurst Regional Development Control Plan 2014 to update the floorspace provisions for supermarkets to permit a maximum of two supermarkets within the E1 Local Centre zone at the Laffing Waters Neighbourhood Activity Centre with a combined gross floor area (GFA) of 6,000m2 with no individual supermarket exceeding 4,000m2;
- refer to the budget process in years 2027/28 and beyond consideration of funding to pursue investigations for a City ring road network; and
- call a division.
A copy of the report to Council is also provided in the document library and serves as a useful summary of the contents and core findings and recommendations of the ELS.
What are the key recommendations and actions within the Strategy?
The core recommendations and actions proposed in the ELS are broadly summarised in the table below.
Recommendation | Core Action |
Maintain and reinforce the primacy of the Bathurst CBD and enable intensification and revitalisation. | Encourage mixed use incremental redevelopment (e.g. George St carpark). Allowing increased residential density. |
Consolidate Large Format Retail (LFR)/Bulky Goods at Kelso, with longer-term options in western Bathurst contingent on infrastructure and Stewarts Mount staging. | Continue to cluster around Kelso. An expanded western location will depend on timing and scale of residential development at Stewarts Mount, if it proceeds. |
Support targeted NAC expansion rather than broad retail decentralisation, preserving the integrity of the existing centres policy. | Laffing Waters NAC (eastern Bathurst) is already well-zoned for a full-line supermarket and could support retail expansion. Stewarts Mount NAC (western Bathurst), a greenfield area under planning investigation, represents a strategic option for a full-line supermarket development. An additional smaller/discount supermarket, such as Aldi, can also be accommodated at either location and would further enhance access and retail choice for the growing population and satisfy otherwise unmet floorspace demand. |
Retain the range of existing planning controls that limit the relocation of retailing activities outside of the CBD (other than for supermarkets) that would compete with its primacy (e.g. Discount Department Stores). | Retain existing key standards for the E1 Local Centre zone: - 700m2 floor space cap for retail shops in the NACs be retained, excluding floor space provisions for the targeted supermarkets.
- 400 m2cap for permitted specialised retail premises (bulky goods) (current clause 7.15 of LEP) to protect the primacy of the LFR precincts.
|
Future Land Allocations – E1 Local Centre Zone | The ELS identifies the Stewarts Mount location, should its rezoning proceed, as the obvious choice to provide the additional E1 Local Centre land required to support the City’s growth. |
Future Land Allocations – E3 and E4 zones | The ELS identifies areas of land to the east of the City as possible sites for future investigation for E3 and E4 expansion. The land area identified by the ELS (figure 40) is more than the land area required. Any future investigations will be owner/developer driven and will require detailed investigation including (but not limited to): - environmental investigations,
- infrastructure and servicing investigations;
- social and economic reports to determine the extent, timing and sequencing of potential land releases and their optimum zoning (E3 or E4).
Not all land identified will ultimately be rezoned and it should not be assumed that the ELS recommends rezoning but rather has identified the lands for possible future investigation. Expanded E3 zoning at a future Stewarts Mount, if it proceeds, can also be considered post 2041. Figure 40, page 175 of the ELS identifies the shortlisted areas for potential employment lands expansion. Figure 40 is not a recommendation to zone land. Figure 40 only identifies those shortlisted lands that may be considered for future investigation as to their suitable for employment land expansion (E3 or E4 zone). |
Special Use Precincts (e.g. Mount Panorama Motor Racing Precinct Bathurst Airport, Panorama Avenue Precinct) | Develop precinct strategies or master plans that protect and support the primary role and special character of each precinct. Prepare updated economic impact reports in relation to the economic value of the Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit. |
Mixed-use opportunity for the existing Council depot site and the adjacent industrial zoned land at 104 Peel Street. | Investigate a mixed-use zoning along with a review of building density and height provisions to encourage commercial, health and residential uses as possible redevelopment options. |
Ring Road Network (bypass/distributor road network) | The ELS illustrates a possible ring road network for consideration of it inclusion on an updated City Structure Plan map of the LSPS as a review of the LSPS progresses. |
How can you be involved?
Council is inviting feedback on the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy to inform future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Regional Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) – the LSPS.
You can lodge feedback through the submission button below, or you can:
- email your feedback to: council@bathurst.nsw.gov.au
- post your feedback to: Bathurst Regional Council, Private Mail Bag 17, Bathurst NSW 2795
Your feedback should be lodged with Council by 4pm on Friday 12 June 2026.
Please contact Council’s Manager Strategic Planning, Janet Bingham, on 6333 6211 with any questions.Council's website
| Council is inviting feedback on the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy to inform future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) – the LSPS. |
Council engaged consultants Egis Oceania to prepare the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy (ELS).
The Bathurst ELS considers “employment lands” as all land that is zoned in the Bathurst Regional Local Environment Plan 2014 (LEP) as:
Zone | Locality |
E1 Local Centre | City’s Neighbourhood Activity Centres |
E2 Commercial Centre | Central Business District (CBD) |
E3 Productivity Support | Large Format Retail (LFR)/Bulky Goods at Kelso. Service Trade Centre, Mitchell Highway |
E4 General Industrial | Kelso Industrial Park Historic industrial locations (e.g Simplot) |
The ELS also considers the City’s special precincts under the SP1 Special Activities, SP2 Infrastructure and SP3 Tourist zonings but does not include these land areas within the calculations for future employment land demand given their special purpose nature (e.g. airport, Mount Panorama precinct).
Figure 3, page 15, of the ELS provides a location map of the City’s existing employment lands.
The ELS builds on the previously adopted strategies of Council being:
- Bathurst CBD and Bulky Goods Business Development Strategy 2011;
- Bathurst Urban Strategy 2007 (as it relates to industrial lands); and
- Bathurst Retail Strategy 1999.
The Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy is provided in the document library.
What are the aims and objectives of the Strategy?
The Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy aims to support Council in planning for future employment growth. It serves as a foundation for land use decisions, helping determine whether to maintain or adjust zonings for employment landuse. Specifically, the strategy:
- Provides strategic direction for employment land in the Bathurst Region Local Government Area (LGA).
- Considers the retail centres hierarchy for the City of Bathurst.
The Strategy provides guidance for future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – the Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) and highlights where detailed environmental investigations and infrastructure planning are required to inform subsequent review/s of the Bathurst Regional Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LEP) and the Bathurst Regional Development Control Plan 2014 (DCP).
Vision Bathurst 2040 – the Bathurst Region Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) can be reviewed on Council's website
The City Structure Plan map under the LSPS is included in the document library.
The objectives of the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy are to:
- Identify and review the existing employment lands in the Bathurst Regional LGA.
- Identify challenges, opportunities and growth influences for employment lands.
- Consider the centres hierarchy within the Bathurst Regional LGA.
- Analyse current land supply, future demand and provide a projection of future floorspace and land requirements.
- Identify locations for future growth considering the known constraints in the Bathurst Regional LGA and potential infrastructure opportunities.
- Present recommendations to ensure developable employment land is available to meet projected demand.
- Prepare an Employment Lands Strategy as a guiding document for future land use planning, investment and management.
- Identify and plan for the local and state infrastructure required to support the growth of employment lands to 2041.
- Undertake a peer review of the Stewarts Mount Planning Proposal and associated Social and Economic Land Use Report and integrate the findings into the broader Employment Lands Strategy to inform zoning, infrastructure planning, and commercial viability considerations for the precinct.
What has Council resolved to date?
At its meeting held 15 April 2026, Council resolved to:
- receive the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy and apply its findings and recommendations to guide future decisions on the provision and planning of employment lands within the City of Bathurst;
- place the Bathurst Employments Lands Strategy on its website and the Bathurst Yoursay site and invite and consider feedback from the community and landholders to inform its ongoing implementation;
- commence an amendment to update Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Regional Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) in line with relevant outcomes from the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy, including updates to the City Structure Plan map, taking account of feedback received in relation to recommendation (2) above;
- commence an amendment to the Bathurst Regional Development Control Plan 2014 to update the floorspace provisions for supermarkets to permit a maximum of two supermarkets within the E1 Local Centre zone at the Laffing Waters Neighbourhood Activity Centre with a combined gross floor area (GFA) of 6,000m2 with no individual supermarket exceeding 4,000m2;
- refer to the budget process in years 2027/28 and beyond consideration of funding to pursue investigations for a City ring road network; and
- call a division.
A copy of the report to Council is also provided in the document library and serves as a useful summary of the contents and core findings and recommendations of the ELS.
What are the key recommendations and actions within the Strategy?
The core recommendations and actions proposed in the ELS are broadly summarised in the table below.
Recommendation | Core Action |
Maintain and reinforce the primacy of the Bathurst CBD and enable intensification and revitalisation. | Encourage mixed use incremental redevelopment (e.g. George St carpark). Allowing increased residential density. |
Consolidate Large Format Retail (LFR)/Bulky Goods at Kelso, with longer-term options in western Bathurst contingent on infrastructure and Stewarts Mount staging. | Continue to cluster around Kelso. An expanded western location will depend on timing and scale of residential development at Stewarts Mount, if it proceeds. |
Support targeted NAC expansion rather than broad retail decentralisation, preserving the integrity of the existing centres policy. | Laffing Waters NAC (eastern Bathurst) is already well-zoned for a full-line supermarket and could support retail expansion. Stewarts Mount NAC (western Bathurst), a greenfield area under planning investigation, represents a strategic option for a full-line supermarket development. An additional smaller/discount supermarket, such as Aldi, can also be accommodated at either location and would further enhance access and retail choice for the growing population and satisfy otherwise unmet floorspace demand. |
Retain the range of existing planning controls that limit the relocation of retailing activities outside of the CBD (other than for supermarkets) that would compete with its primacy (e.g. Discount Department Stores). | Retain existing key standards for the E1 Local Centre zone: - 700m2 floor space cap for retail shops in the NACs be retained, excluding floor space provisions for the targeted supermarkets.
- 400 m2cap for permitted specialised retail premises (bulky goods) (current clause 7.15 of LEP) to protect the primacy of the LFR precincts.
|
Future Land Allocations – E1 Local Centre Zone | The ELS identifies the Stewarts Mount location, should its rezoning proceed, as the obvious choice to provide the additional E1 Local Centre land required to support the City’s growth. |
Future Land Allocations – E3 and E4 zones | The ELS identifies areas of land to the east of the City as possible sites for future investigation for E3 and E4 expansion. The land area identified by the ELS (figure 40) is more than the land area required. Any future investigations will be owner/developer driven and will require detailed investigation including (but not limited to): - environmental investigations,
- infrastructure and servicing investigations;
- social and economic reports to determine the extent, timing and sequencing of potential land releases and their optimum zoning (E3 or E4).
Not all land identified will ultimately be rezoned and it should not be assumed that the ELS recommends rezoning but rather has identified the lands for possible future investigation. Expanded E3 zoning at a future Stewarts Mount, if it proceeds, can also be considered post 2041. Figure 40, page 175 of the ELS identifies the shortlisted areas for potential employment lands expansion. Figure 40 is not a recommendation to zone land. Figure 40 only identifies those shortlisted lands that may be considered for future investigation as to their suitable for employment land expansion (E3 or E4 zone). |
Special Use Precincts (e.g. Mount Panorama Motor Racing Precinct Bathurst Airport, Panorama Avenue Precinct) | Develop precinct strategies or master plans that protect and support the primary role and special character of each precinct. Prepare updated economic impact reports in relation to the economic value of the Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit. |
Mixed-use opportunity for the existing Council depot site and the adjacent industrial zoned land at 104 Peel Street. | Investigate a mixed-use zoning along with a review of building density and height provisions to encourage commercial, health and residential uses as possible redevelopment options. |
Ring Road Network (bypass/distributor road network) | The ELS illustrates a possible ring road network for consideration of it inclusion on an updated City Structure Plan map of the LSPS as a review of the LSPS progresses. |
How can you be involved?
Council is inviting feedback on the Bathurst Employment Lands Strategy to inform future updates to Vision Bathurst 2040 – Bathurst Regional Local Strategic Planning Statement (2020) – the LSPS.
You can lodge feedback through the submission button below, or you can:
- email your feedback to: council@bathurst.nsw.gov.au
- post your feedback to: Bathurst Regional Council, Private Mail Bag 17, Bathurst NSW 2795
Your feedback should be lodged with Council by 4pm on Friday 12 June 2026.
Please contact Council’s Manager Strategic Planning, Janet Bingham, on 6333 6211 with any questions.Council's website
