About

The rural lands of the Tamworth Regional Local Government Area (Tamworth Regional LGA) contribute significantly to the productivity, character and lifestyle of the Tamworth region.

Council has prepared the draft Rural Lands Strategy (draft strategy) to set the strategic vision for the future of rural lands within the Tamworth Regional LGA. Council have engaged Gyde Consulting to assist in the preparation of the draft Strategy.

An important part of this project is to engage with our community to understand current and future land uses, trends, priorities and opportunities of our rural lands in order to support the needs of our local producers, businesses and industries, and ensure that we have diverse and productive rural lands now and into the future.

Council and Gyde Consulting are seeking feedback from the public to ensure that the draft Strategy aligns with the values and vision of the community. We want to hear what you think about how rural land should be used in the Tamworth Regional LGA. To provide your insights into this important work, you can:

1. Complete the feedback form at the bottom of this page. Documents can be uploaded as part of the feedback form.

2. Attend one of the following community drop-in sessions:

Thursday 15 May (11am-1pm)

  • Tamworth – Fitzroy Street Plaza, Fitzroy Street, Tamworth.
  • Kootingal - Kootingal Multi-Purpose Centre, Denman Street, Kootingal.

    • Saturday 17 May (9am-11am)

  • Barraba – Queen Street Mall, 111 Queen Street, Barraba.
  • Manilla – Manilla Mechanics Institute Meeting Room, 191 Manilla Street, Manilla

  • Nundle – Peel Inn Hotel, 89 Jenkins Street, Nundle.

    3. You can search your property address to determine whether your property is directly impacted. Please click on the Draft Rural Lands Strategy Layer now available on Council’s public mapping system HERE.

    All the discussions and information received through this process will inform the preparation of the final Tamworth Regional Rural Lands Strategy

    • FAQs

    The Tamworth Regional Rural Lands Strategy will provide a framework to guide decision making for the ongoing planning and management of the rural lands within the Tamworth Regional LGA.

    The Strategy will enable Council to address a range of opportunities and issues impacting rural areas, setting out a policy position on key pressures and drivers of change.

    The Strategy is also an opportunity to identify and encourage diverse and emerging industries occurring throughout the Tamworth Regional LGA’s rural lands.

    The rural lands of the Tamworth Regional LGA are highly productive and are a crucial part of the Tamworth economy and character. With the region’s growing population, a range of diverse rural industries, important biodiversity, and emerging development including significant renewable energy and transmission line projects, Council needs to ensure that land use policy continues to support existing and future rural land uses, while providing for the needs of rural communities.

    For the purposes of the Strategy, ‘Rural Lands’ refers to land in the following land use zones:

  • RU1 – Primary Production
  • RU3 – Forestry
  • RU4 – Primary Production Small Lots
  • RU5 – Village
  • RU6 – Transition
  • C1 – National Parks and Nature Reserves
  • C2 – Environmental Conservation
  • C3 – Environmental Management
  • R5 – Large Lot Residential.

    • The Strategy does not consider all other urban or employment lands, nor land zoned for recreation.

    The draft strategy identifies eight focus areas that will underpin Council’s vision for the Tamworth Regional LGA’s rural lands. These are supported by a series of actions that will ensure the priorities may be achieved.

    Focus Area 1: Prioritise agriculture and preserve the productivity of our rural lands

    Focus Area 2: Reduce and manage land use conflicts

    Focus Area 3: Improve safety and efficiency of inter- and intra-regional linkages

    Focus Area 4: Support and diversify the rural economy

    Focus Area 5: Support rural housing in the right locations

    Focus Area 6: Facilitate the prosperity of our rural communities

    Focus Area 7: Protect and improve environmental, scenic and heritage values in rural areas

    Focus Area 8: Encourage sustainable and resilient rural land practices to strengthen the region’s ability to respond to a changing climate.

    The Rural Lands Strategy is a key strategic document that Council will rely on to inform decision making for the orderly use and development of the Tamworth Regional LGA’s rural lands.

    The draft Strategy will also provide a framework for land use planning to underpin the Tamworth Regional Local Environmental Plan 2010 (TRLEP 2010) and the implementation of local, regional and State Government strategic plans.

    The draft Strategy makes recommendations to amend certain land use planning controls under the TRLEP 2010. These proposed amendments are recommendations only, at this time, and do not result in a change to the current land use planning provisions. However, the draft Strategy would inform future planning proposals to amend the land use planning provisions in the TRLEP 2010.

    Council will consider all feedback received during the public exhibition period. This feedback will then be reported to Council, along with the draft strategy (including any amendments in response to exhibition feedback), seeking final adoption.