Wollongong City Council has opened community consultation on a significant set of proposed planning changes for the city centre. If you’re a developer, landowner, or investor with interests in the CBD, this is a process worth paying close attention to.
The consultation covers three interconnected documents:
- A Planning Proposal to amend the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 (LEP)
- A revised Chapter D13 of the Wollongong Development Control Plan (DCP)
- Updates to the City-Wide Development Contributions Plan.
Together, they represent the most comprehensive review of the city centre’s planning framework in some time.
What’s being proposed.
The Planning Proposal targets some specific and practical changes to the LEP. Zone boundaries for E2 (Commercial Core) and MU1 (Mixed Use) areas would be refined, with protections introduced to prevent the further loss of employment floor space.
Ground-floor use requirements and floor space ratio controls would also be updated, and there are new provisions around design excellence, building heights, solar access, site width and street frontage.
Tourism and entertainment uses would receive planning incentives – a clear signal about the direction Council wants the city centre to evolve.
The revised DCP Chapter D13 replaces the current chapter entirely.
It introduces:
- Updated precinct controls
- Stronger built form and urban design guidance
- New sustainability requirements including a staged transition to fully electric buildings.
If you’re planning redevelopment of a site in the city centre, this chapter will govern how your project is assessed. On the contributions side, proposed changes would reduce development contributions for certain commercial uses and allow large commercial office developments to defer payment until occupation.
For projects where feasibility is tight, this could make a material difference.
Why it matters.
These changes don’t just affect what can be built – they affect how development is assessed, what incentives are available, and what costs you’ll face.
The refinement of zone boundaries in particular could have direct implications for sites currently zoned MU1 or E2, and the updated height and FSR controls will reshape development potential across a range of parcels.
For developers currently investigating city centre sites, or those with projects already in the pipeline, now is the time to understand how these proposed changes interact with your plans.
Have your say.
The documents are on public exhibition from 6 May to 6 July 2026.
Feedback can be submitted online, by email to council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au (quoting reference PP-2024/4), or by post to The General Manager, Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821 Wollongong DC NSW 2500.
Council is also holding two in-person sessions:
A pop-up at Crown Street Markets on 8 May 2026 (9am–12pm)
An evening session at Wollongong Library on 18 June 2026 (5–7pm).
The full document suite and online feedback form are available at our.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/city-centre-planning-review.
We’re here to help.
The Allen Price town planning team has deep familiarity with the Wollongong LEP and the city centre’s planning history.
If you’d like to understand how these proposed changes affect your site or project, get in touch with our team for a plain-language assessment.
