Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW)

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 No 203

An Act to institute a system of environmental planning and assessment for the State of New South Wales.

Part 1 Preliminary

1.1 Name of Act (cf previous s 1) This Act may be cited as the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

1.2 Commencement (cf previous s 2) This Act commenced on 1 September 1980.

Note. The Historical notes set out at the end of the Act on the NSW legislation website sets out the various Acts and instruments that have amended this Act and the dates on which each commenced.

1.3 Objects of Act (cf previous s 5) The objects of this Act are as follows— (a) to promote the social and economic welfare of the community and a better environment by the proper management, development and conservation of the State's natural and other resources, (b) to facilitate ecologically sustainable development by integrating relevant economic, environmental and social considerations in decision-making about environmental planning and assessment, (c) to promote the orderly and economic use and development of land, (d) to promote the delivery and maintenance of affordable housing, (e) to protect the environment, including the conservation of threatened and other species of native animals and plants, ecological communities and their habitats, (f) to promote the sustainable management of built and cultural heritage (including Aboriginal cultural heritage), (g) to promote good design and amenity of the built environment, (h) to promote the proper construction and maintenance of buildings, including the protection of the health and safety of their occupants, (i) to promote the sharing of the responsibility for environmental planning and assessment between the different levels of government in the State, (j) to provide increased opportunity for community participation in environmental planning and assessment.