West Dapto Urban Release Area Biodiversity Certification Application

The submission closing date has been extended to 19 April 2024

Council has been working with the NSW Government to establish biodiversity certification for parts of the West Dapto Urban Release Area or WDURA. A series of technical studies have fed into the development of a Biodiversity Certification Strategy and these documents are now on public exhibition.

Biodiversity certification streamlines the impact assessment process for areas of land proposed for development. It aims to avoid, minimise, and offset the impacts on biodiversity from development including vegetation clearing. It looks at the whole of a nominated area, rather than each development in isolation and integrates planning for plant and animal conservation early in the process.

The proposed certification area is west of the Princes Highway, covering the suburbs of Cleveland, Huntley, Avondale, Marshall Mount, and parts of Yallah. If endorsed by the Minister for the Environment, the strategy will be used alongside the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 to guide future development in the certification area.

Why is it important?

Biodiversity certification aims to avoid, minimise, and offset the impacts of development, or vegetation clearing, on local vegetation communities, plant and animal species and particularly, high conservation value biodiversity. It looks at a whole area—rather than each development in isolation—and provides upfront certainty to both developers and the community about development and conservation outcomes in an area.

It also reduces the number of individual biodiversity assessments that authorities need to consider in areas of new development.

How does the proposed biodiversity certification affect my property?

If your property is within Stages 3, 4 or 5 of the WDURA, once approved, the biodiversity certification may apply to any future development on the property.

The red areas have had biodiversity impacts assessed under the State biodiversity legislation, assessment and offsetting scheme for certain types of development. Blue areas have not had biodiversity impacts assessed and future development on these areas may require assessment under the current NSW biodiversity legislation. Light green areas have a high-biodiversity and conservation value, so they must be protected/conserved. Dark green areas are Council-owned land also with high-biodiversity and conservation value, proposed for intensified ecological restoration work.

Without biodiversity certification, each landowner of an individual block on the biodiversity certificated (red) land would be responsible for meeting their own costs for biodiversity impact assessment and possible biodiversity offsets.

Please provide your feedback by 19 April 2024. For written and emailed submissions, please quote: 'WDURA Biodiversity Certification Application'. Any submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council's Privacy Policy before submitting your feedback.

Accessibility and language assistance

If you’re d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service. If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 for either service.