Tree Management Policy and Development Control Plan Chapter Review

Council has reviewed policy and planning controls for tree management. 

We invite your feedback on the changes we'd like to make. 

Council is committed to growing and protecting our urban tree canopy so that our community benefits from trees.

We have a long term plan in place to guide our action for trees called the Urban Greening Strategy 2017 - 2027. 

To help achieve our urban greening goals we have reviewed three existing tree policies to bring them into a single Tree Management Policy. 

The policy will provide direction for tree management across Council land and private property and focuses on growing our tree canopy through tree planting and minimising tree loss.

We also want to make it easier for residents to use our tree management services on a day to day basis and have developed a customer guide.

To enable the new policy the Wollongong Development Control Plan 2009 chapters have been reviewed. We've changed the size of tree that requires a permit to be removed. We've also updated chapters to reflect changes in State and Federal laws and policies for trees and vegetation.

The chapters reviewed are:

• Chapter E17: Preservation and Management of Trees and Vegetation
• Chapter E18: Threatened Species Impact Assessment
• Chapter B6: Development in the Illawarra Escarpment
• Appendix 4: Definitions

What’s new in the Policy:

• Permits are required for removal of trees larger than 5 metres (or wider than 30cm at their base) on private land
• Tree removals on private land will be compensated by either a Greenplan credit or payment into an urban greening fund for a tree to be planted on public land to grow our urban canopy
• A self-service option to allow limited pruning of trees
• A view assessment procedure will assess and document the impact to residents of proposed tree planting and the broader community benefit of increasing shade across our parks and streetscapes.

Find out more 

Tree Management Policy 

• Read the draft policy document, customer guide and Council report
• Read the Frequently Asked Questions
• View the summary video

Development Control Plan 2009

• Read the Council report and other documents

Copies of the documents are also available to view in your local Council Library and Council’s Customer Service Centre, Ground Floor Administration Building, 41 Burelli Street Wollongong on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.

You can ask a question using the question tool.

Online Information Sessions 

Attend a 40 minutes online session to hear about the proposed changes and ask questions you may have.

Tuesday 6 December 1.30pm - 2-10pm 

Tuesday 6 December 5pm - 5.40pm

To share your thoughts 

You can give feedback on the draft policy, customer guide and draft DCP Chapters by:

• Completing the online feedback form
• Writing to: The General Manager, Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821 WOLLONGONG DC NSW 2500
• Emailing: records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au
• Phoning: (02) 4227 7111
• Visiting: Council’s Customer Service Centre, 41 Burelli St, Wollongong.

Exhibition is open from 14 November 2022 to 9am on 19 December 2022.

Submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council’s Privacy Notification before submitting your feedback.

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