Blacktown Planning Updates October 2026: Mount Druitt Rezoning in Effect, New CBD Tower Controls Proposed and Marsden Park Changes

For most Blacktown sites, the planning rules have not changed wholesale in the past three months, but Mount Druitt CBD has. The Mount Street rezoning is now in force (Blacktown LEP 2015 Amendment No 39, 24 July 2026), and Council is about to consider exhibiting new tower separation, podium and through-site link controls for the CBD. In the North West Growth Area, a Marsden Park industrial rezoning has been made, and the Seven Hills Community Hub LEP is with the State for finalisation.

Status snapshot (October 2026)

We found no Blacktown LEP or DCP item sitting in POST-EXHIBITION on 12 October 2026: the proposals that closed earlier this year have already been adopted and sent to the State. Primary sources: Blacktown LEP 2015 on NSW legislation; Planning Portal map register; Council business papers and minutes (29 July, 26 August, 7 and 14 October 2026); Have Your Say Blacktown.

Mount Street, Mount Druitt — in effect

Status: IN EFFECT. Blacktown LEP 2015 (Amendment No 39) was notified on 24 July 2026 and commenced on publication. It gives effect to the Mount Street planning proposal, which:

• rezones part of Lot 24 DP 250595 from RE1 Public Recreation to MU1 Mixed Use;
• reclassifies Lots 24 and 25 DP 250595 from community to operational land and discharges public interests (Schedule 4 now lists 5A and 7 Mount Street, Mount Druitt);
• replaces a Height of Buildings map sheet from the same day.

The proposal implements Council’s Mount Druitt Town Centre master plan. At Gateway, the Department’s report described a height of 64 metres for the rezoned part of Lot 24. Confirm the figure on the made map before you rely on it.

Why it matters: neighbouring owners and designers in the CBD should expect taller future built form on and around Mount Street. A separate amendment, No 37 (notified 31 July 2026), also changed Schedule 4. It mainly matters if you are dealing with Council-owned land.

Proposed Mount Druitt CBD controls (DCP Part O) — watch

Status: WATCH. A report to the 14 October 2026 committee asks Council to endorse a 28-day exhibition of changes to Part O of Blacktown DCP 2015. The review began with a Local Planning Panel recommendation on the Mount Street proposal and was widened to the whole CBD. The draft would:

• require a minimum 9 metre separation between buildings taller than 44 metres;
• add podium height and above-podium front setback objectives for human-scale streets;
• encourage north–south building depth and orientation to reduce overshadowing of neighbouring land;
• require new developments to provide public pedestrian links through sites, with updated figures including the Chris Murphy Walk extension and Ralph Place road widening;
• require overshadowing analysis to cover future public spaces and through-site links, not just adjoining lots.

The report says the changes would apply only to DAs lodged after Council endorses them. Applications already lodged, including the Salvation Army’s Mount Street DA, stay under the controls in place when they were lodged. It also removes Part O text about the old District Plan, noting that the new Sydney Plan does not identify Mount Druitt as a strategic centre.

Why it matters: tower floor plates, podium massing and site layout for CBD projects lodged after the changes are endorsed may need to change. If you are close to lodging, think about timing and test your scheme against the draft now.

Child care controls trimmed — watch

Status: WATCH. The same report proposes removing superseded child care objectives, setbacks, height and detailed design controls from DCP 2015 Part C (section 8.3) and Growth Centre Precincts DCP 2010 (section 4.4.2). References would point to the Transport and Infrastructure SEPP 2021 and the NSW Child care planning guideline. Council says the Local Planning Panel currently has to consider both the old and the new instruments, which slows assessment.

Sydney Business Park Stage 2, Marsden Park — in effect

Status: IN EFFECT. This proponent-led proposal rezones a redundant proposed road between Hollinsworth Road and Astoria Street from SP2 Infrastructure (Local Road) to IN1 General Industrial under the Central River City SEPP, with a 2,000 m² minimum lot size. Council adopted it on 29 July 2026. The Planning Portal records the plan as published on 30 September 2026. Consequential updates to the Schedule 3 Marsden Park Industrial Precinct figures in the Growth Centre Precincts DCP remove the road. Check that the updated DCP figures are published before you rely on them.

Seven Hills Community Hub and the drainage/recreation proposal — waiting gazettal

Status: WAITING GAZETTAL. On 26 August 2026 Council adopted the Seven Hills Community Hub planning proposal as exhibited. It rezones and changes building heights at Boomerang Place and First Avenue and reclassifies land to operational. Council also asked DPHI to seek the Governor’s approval to extinguish a positive covenant on Lot 194 DP 35708. The proposal returned to the Department on 10 September 2026 and had not been made by 12 October.

A second Council proposal would allow recreation areas on SP2 (Drainage) land and drainage and flood mitigation works in RE1 zones, across Blacktown LEP 2015 and the Central River City SEPP. It has been with DPHI for finalisation since 16 June 2026.

DCP Part A clarifications and the Marsden Park contributions plan — adopted

Status: ADOPTED. On 26 August 2026 Council adopted administrative changes to Part A of Blacktown DCP 2015 without re-exhibition. It also noted that the cool roof controls introduced in the February 2026 housekeeping amendments are performance-based and allow homeowner choice. Council’s DCP page still shows the consolidation effective from 1 February 2026, so check which version applies on your lodgement date.

The same meeting approved a revised Section 7.11 Contributions Plan No 21 — Marsden Park as an IPART-reviewed plan, replacing the previous version. Re-run contributions in your feasibility if you are working in Marsden Park.

Riverstone Town Centre — rezoning in place, local controls still coming

Status: IN EFFECT (State rezoning) / WATCH (local follow-up). The NSW Government finalised the Riverstone Town Centre rezoning on 17 April 2026. It allows up to 2,850 new homes, buildings of 2 to 15 storeys, and a flood planning level close to the 1-in-500 chance per year event. On 29 July 2026 Council resolved to:

• prepare a draft Riverstone Town Centre DCP;
• update Contributions Plan 20 (Riverstone and Alex Avenue);
• investigate whether the new lot amalgamation clause 7.17 of Blacktown LEP 2015 constrains development;
• prepare a planning proposal to reclassify Reserve 210, Piccadilly Street.

None of these had been exhibited by 12 October. The finalised controls already apply, but the local DCP and contributions settings may still change.

Draft Contaminated Land Policy — open exhibition

Status: OPEN EXHIBITION. Council is exhibiting a draft Contaminated Land Policy until 17 November 2026. It sets out Council’s expectations for contamination investigations, remediation, ongoing site management and reporting for DAs on contaminated or potentially contaminated land. If you work on former industrial, rural or filled sites, it is worth reviewing and commenting on.

State reforms and proposals to watch

• Centre-based child care reforms — WATCH. DPHI exhibited an Explanation of Intended Effect from 7 July to 17 August 2026, covering traffic and parking triggers, parking rates based on transport access, an acoustic framework, longer operating hours and simpler internal works. Blacktown’s submission argues that lower parking rates do not suit the North West Growth Area. DPHI has not published an implementation date.
• Statewide Community Participation Plan — WATCH. DPHI adopted it on 1 September 2026 to replace council plans. Residential flat buildings, shop top housing, works to heritage items and group homes are still exhibited. A 7 October committee report recommends that Blacktown introduce voluntary notification for development types now exempt.
• Low-rise housing and complying development variations — WATCH. Council endorsed its submission on these State proposals on 26 August 2026.
• Blacktown Quarter planning proposal — WATCH. Walker Corporation has lodged a proposal that includes about 10,000 m² of connected public open space in the city centre. Council will assess it before it goes to DPHI for a Gateway decision.

Practical next steps for giantA clients

1. Mount Druitt CBD: read the made Amendment No 39 maps. For projects lodging in the next six months, test your massing against the proposed Part O separation, podium and through-site link controls.
2. Child care proposals: design to the Transport and Infrastructure SEPP and the Child care planning guideline. Expect the Blacktown DCP controls to be trimmed back.
3. Marsden Park: confirm the IN1 zoning and lot size on the Spatial Viewer, and re-run contributions under the revised CP21.
4. Riverstone: design to the finalised State controls, and ask Council about the timing of the draft DCP and CP20 update.
5. Contaminated or filled land: brief your environmental consultant early and read the draft policy.
6. Documentation: see our architectural and DA documentation services, or ask us a question.

Related guides and services

• All services
• Architectural services (DA / CDC / Class 2)
• Meet the team
• Liverpool planning updates October 2026
• Canterbury-Bankstown planning updates October 2026
• City of Ryde planning updates October 2026
• Canada Bay planning updates September 2026
• Inner West planning updates September 2026
• City of Sydney planning updates September 2026
• Parramatta planning updates September 2026

FAQs

Is the Mount Street, Mount Druitt rezoning in force?

Yes. Blacktown LEP 2015 (Amendment No 39) was notified on 24 July 2026 and commenced on publication. It rezones part of Lot 24 DP 250595 to MU1 Mixed Use and reclassifies Lots 24 and 25 as operational land. Check the current maps for the exact height and zone boundary.

Do the new Mount Druitt CBD tower controls apply to my DA now?

Not yet. The Part O changes are going to Council’s committee on 14 October 2026, which will decide whether to exhibit them. Council’s report says they would apply only to DAs lodged after Council endorses them, but it is sensible to test a CBD scheme against them now.

Has the Seven Hills Community Hub LEP been made?

Not as at 12 October 2026. Council adopted the proposal on 26 August 2026 and it returned to DPHI on 10 September for drafting and finalisation, including a request for the Governor’s approval to remove a positive covenant. The amendment will apply once it is published on the NSW legislation website.

Which DCP applies to a DA in Marsden Park or Riverstone?

It depends on the instrument that applies. Blacktown DCP 2015 applies only to land covered by Blacktown LEP 2015. Growth Area precincts under the Central River City SEPP, such as Marsden Park, use the Growth Centre Precincts DCP 2010. Riverstone Town Centre is getting its own draft DCP. Confirm the applicable plans on a planning certificate before you lodge.

Next step: Request a Blacktown DA design review with giantA — architectural services and approvals documentation for homes and small developments across Greater Sydney.