What is the CC&NH SEPP? How it changes NSW development
The draft Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP will replace SEPP (Resilience & Hazards) 2021 and consolidate how NSW handles flood, bushfire, coastal, and heat risk in development assessment. It is the most significant structural change to hazard-based planning rules in a decade.
Current system vs proposed CC&NH SEPP
Current: fragmented across instruments
Flood
LEP clauses 5.21/5.22 + council flood studies
Bushfire
Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 + BFPL maps
Coastal
SEPP (Resilience & Hazards) 2021 Chapter 2 + Coastal SEMP
Heat
No statutory instrument (ad hoc council DCPs)
Four hazards, four different regulatory pathways, inconsistent data sources.
Proposed: one instrument, all hazards
Flood
Centralised from LEPs, standardised assessment
Bushfire
Landscape-level assessment with cumulative community impact
Coastal
Updated coastal hazard provisions with NARCliM projections
Heat
NEW: urban heat policy for development assessment
Prescribed NARCliM 2.0 + ARR4 data sources. Statewide application.
What the CC&NH SEPP is
The Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP is a draft State Environmental Planning Policy developed by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI). It was publicly exhibited between 17 February and 16 March 2026, with finalisation expected late 2026 or 2027.
SEPPs are the highest-tier planning instruments in NSW, overriding local LEP and DCP provisions where there is inconsistency. The CC&NH SEPP would apply statewide to all local development, state significant development (SSD), and state significant infrastructure (SSI).
It replaces SEPP (Resilience & Hazards) 2021, which primarily addressed coastal hazards. The new instrument expands scope to cover all four major natural hazard types in a single framework: flooding, bushfire, coastal erosion and inundation, and urban heat.
What it consolidates
Currently, hazard assessment for NSW development is scattered across multiple instruments and data sources. The CC&NH SEPP proposes to bring these under one roof:
Flood provisions
Flood planning provisions currently sit within individual LEPs (clauses 5.21 and 5.22), established by the Flood Prone Land Package of 2021. Each council defines its own flood planning area based on its own flood studies, with no consistent statewide standard. The CC&NH SEPP would centralise these provisions and standardise the data and methodology used for flood assessment.
This addresses a significant gap created by the 2021 and 2023 changes to flood data in LEPs — where flood planning maps were removed from LEPs without a consistent replacement.
Coastal hazards
Coastal erosion and inundation provisions from Chapter 2 of SEPP (Resilience & Hazards) 2021 carry into the new instrument, updated to reference NARCliM 2.0 climate projections rather than earlier models. Councils with certified Coastal Management Programs would continue to apply local provisions, but within the standardised SEPP framework.
Bushfire
The SEPP introduces landscape-level bushfire assessment that considers cumulative community impact, not just site-specific BAL ratings. This is a significant shift from the current model where bushfire assessment is largely confined to the individual lot under Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019. The RFS remains the referral authority for bushfire-affected development.
Urban heat (new)
For the first time, a NSW planning instrument would require development to consider and mitigate urban heat impact. No formal urban heat policy has existed at the SEPP level before. The exhibited draft proposes that larger developments assess their contribution to the urban heat island effect and incorporate mitigation measures such as canopy cover, permeable surfaces, and building material reflectivity.
What changes and how much it matters
Prescribed climate scenarios
High impactCurrent
Councils choose their own data sources and scenarios
Proposed
NARCliM 2.0 and ARR4 prescribed for all assessments. Consistent statewide baseline.
Flood provisions centralised
High impactCurrent
LEP clauses 5.21/5.22 reference council-defined flood planning areas
Proposed
Flood provisions move from individual LEPs into the SEPP. One framework replaces 128 local variations.
Urban heat policy
Medium impactCurrent
No statewide requirement. Some councils have DCP provisions.
Proposed
Development must consider and mitigate urban heat impact. First time heat is in a NSW planning instrument.
Landscape-level bushfire assessment
Medium impactCurrent
Site-specific BAL assessment under Planning for Bush Fire Protection
Proposed
Cumulative community-level impact considered. Assessments look beyond the individual lot.
Post-disaster rebuilding
Low-Medium impactCurrent
No specific planning pathway for post-disaster reconstruction
Proposed
Streamlined rebuilding pathways for properties damaged by natural hazards.
What it means for existing properties
The CC&NH SEPP primarily affects new development and modifications, not existing buildings. However, several indirect effects are significant for property owners:
- Hazard reclassification — properties not currently identified as flood or bushfire affected may be reclassified under standardised NARCliM-based mapping. This could affect flood zone status, s10.7 certificate notations, and insurance pricing.
- Development potential changes — properties in newly identified hazard areas may face additional development requirements or constraints, potentially reducing development potential.
- Disclosure implications — conveyancers and vendors may need to disclose new hazard classifications. Section 10.7 certificates would reflect the SEPP framework, potentially showing hazard information that was previously absent.
- Insurance impact — standardised hazard mapping provides insurers with more consistent data for pricing. Properties reclassified into higher-risk categories may see premium increases.
How it fits with existing planning rules
The CC&NH SEPP does not replace LEPs or DCPs entirely. It operates as a layer above them for hazard-related matters:
The Flood Prone Land Package of 2021, which introduced LEP clauses 5.21 and 5.22, would be effectively superseded. The SEPP creates a single source of truth for hazard-based development controls rather than relying on 128 separate council implementations.
Timeline and status
Public exhibition
CompleteDraft CC&NH SEPP exhibited for public comment from 17 February to 16 March 2026.
Response to submissions
In progressDPHI reviews submissions and prepares final instrument. May include amendments based on feedback.
Expected commencement
ProjectedEarliest expected date for the SEPP to commence. Could extend into 2027 depending on the scale of amendments.
What to prepare for now
For developers
Projects currently in pre-DA should consider the incoming framework. If your site is near a flood planning area, coastal hazard zone, or bushfire prone land, the CC&NH SEPP may impose additional assessment requirements. Engaging hazard consultants now using NARCliM 2.0 data positions you ahead of the transition.
For planners
Familiarise yourself with NARCliM 2.0 and ARR4 data sources. The SEPP will prescribe these as the standard climate data inputs for development assessment. Council planners will need to assess DAs against a statewide hazard framework rather than local flood studies alone.
For conveyancers
The SEPP will change what appears on s10.7 planning certificates for hazard-affected properties. Properties that currently show no flood or hazard notation may receive new notations under the standardised framework. Building this into due diligence processes early is prudent. PlotDetect's flood risk reports already incorporate multiple data sources beyond the s10.7 certificate.
Connection to mandatory climate reporting
The CC&NH SEPP creates demand for climate hazard data from the planning side. Simultaneously, AASB S2 mandatory climate reporting creates demand from the financial side. Both require property-level hazard data. Both reference forward-looking climate scenarios. The convergence means that the same underlying data — flood maps, bushfire layers, coastal hazard assessments, climate projections — is needed by planning consultants, developers, conveyancers, fund managers, banks, and insurers.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CC&NH SEPP already in force?
No. The SEPP was publicly exhibited in February-March 2026 and is still being finalised. It is expected to commence late 2026 or 2027. Current development assessment continues under the existing framework.
Will it affect existing development approvals?
No. Existing development consents remain valid. The SEPP applies to new DAs and modification applications lodged after commencement. Transition provisions are expected for applications already in the pipeline.
What happens to council flood studies?
Council flood studies are not replaced. The SEPP provides a standardised framework for how flood risk is assessed in development applications, including prescribed climate scenarios and data sources. Councils retain their flood data but apply it within the SEPP framework.
Does this apply to complying development?
The exhibited SEPP applies to local development, SSD, and SSI. Complying development under the Codes SEPP has its own hazard provisions. The interaction between the CC&NH SEPP and complying development pathways will depend on the final instrument.
Check hazard exposure for any NSW property
PlotDetect's climate risk assessment checks five government-mapped hazard layers — flood, bushfire, coastal, heat, and subsidence — for any NSW address. See what the CC&NH SEPP framework will assess.
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