Sydney Metro Land & Water Rules, by Council
Dam and irrigation licensing in NSW is administered state-wide through WaterNSW regardless of council (see the state-wide NSW article), but what varies by council is zoning — and zoning is what determines which shed exemption tier actually applies to your property. This page collects the confirmed zoning position for each Greater Sydney council, sourced from the same research behind our Sydney Metro livestock rules page.
- Hunters Hill Council
- Georges River Council
- City of Parramatta
- Mosman Council
- City of Ryde
- Waverley Council
- Sutherland Shire Council
- Camden Council
- Liverpool City Council
- Penrith City Council
- Blacktown City Council
- The Hills Shire Council
- Wollondilly Shire Council
- Fairfield City Council
- Hawkesbury City Council
- Campbelltown City Council
- Ku-ring-gai Council
Hunters Hill Council
Hunters Hill's LEP contains no rural zoning at all (confirmed directly from its zone list). This means the larger 50m² rural shed exemption and the 200m² genuine farm-building exemption aren't available anywhere in this LGA — the standard residential exemption caps out at 20m², under 3m high (2.4m within 1m of a boundary), with a maximum of 2 exempt structures.
Source: Hunters Hill Local Environmental Plan 2012; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Georges River Council
Georges River's LEP 2021 zone list confirms no rural zones and no R5 zone exist in this LGA. As with Hunters Hill, this means every property here is capped at the standard 20m² shed exemption — the rural and farm-building exemptions have no application anywhere in this council area.
Source: Georges River Local Environmental Plan 2021; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
City of Parramatta
Parramatta's LEP 2023 zone list is explicitly limited to residential, employment, mixed use, special purpose, recreation, conservation and waterways — no rural zones or R5 zoning exist. The standard 20m² shed exemption is the ceiling across the entire LGA.
Source: Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2023; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Mosman Council
Mosman's LEP 2012 zone list is limited to residential, employment, special purpose, recreation and conservation zones — no rural zoning exists. The standard 20m² exemption applies across this small, fully-developed harbourside LGA, with no rural or farm-building pathway available.
Source: Mosman Local Environmental Plan 2012; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
City of Ryde
Ryde's LEP zone list is limited to residential (R1–R4), business, industrial, special purpose and recreation/conservation zones — no R5 or rural zoning exists. The standard 20m² shed exemption is what applies across the LGA.
Source: Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2014; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Waverley Council
Waverley's LEP zone list is limited to residential, business, mixed use, special purpose, recreation and conservation zones — no rural zoning exists in this small, fully-developed eastern-suburbs LGA. The standard 20m² exemption is the ceiling here too.
Source: Waverley Local Environmental Plan 2012; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Sutherland Shire Council
Sutherland Shire's LEP 2015 zone list is limited to residential and business/employment zones — it doesn't appear to include an R5 or any rural zone, despite the state SEPP's generic wording referencing rural-zoned provisions. In practice, the standard 20m² shed exemption is likely what actually applies across this LGA, with the larger rural allowances unlikely to have practical application here.
Source: Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Camden Council
Camden has rural land — zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape and RU4 Primary Production Small Lots. On this land, the larger 50m² shed exemption applies, and a genuine farm building (hayshed, machinery shed) may qualify for the more generous 200m² exemption under the Codes SEPP's specific farm-building provisions, subject to height, setback and lot-size conditions.
Source: Camden Local Environmental Plan 2010; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool's western LGA is rural — zoned RU1, RU2 and RU4, alongside R5 Large Lot Residential. Rural-zoned properties here can access the 50m² shed exemption, and genuine farm buildings may qualify for the 200m² exemption, while the eastern, fully-urban parts of the LGA are capped at the standard 20m².
Source: Liverpool Local Environmental Plan 2008; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Penrith City Council
Despite "City" in its name, Penrith has substantial rural land — zoned RU1, RU2, RU4 and RU5, plus R5 Large Lot Residential, covering rural villages including Londonderry, Luddenham, Castlereagh and Mulgoa. The 50m² shed exemption, and potentially the 200m² genuine farm-building exemption, are both available across this rural portion of the LGA.
Source: Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Blacktown City Council
Blacktown's LEP 2015 includes one, more limited rural zone — RU4 Primary Production Small Lots only. Where this zone applies, the 50m² shed exemption is available, though the genuine farm-building 200m² exemption is less likely to apply given RU4's smaller-lot character. Most of the LGA outside this zone is capped at the standard 20m².
Source: Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2015; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
The Hills Shire Council
The Hills Shire has substantial rural land — zoned RU1, RU2, RU3 (Forestry) and RU6, plus RU5 Village in some areas, covering rural localities such as Maroota, Kenthurst and Annangrove. The 50m² and potentially 200m² genuine farm-building exemptions are both available across this rural portion of the Shire.
Source: The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2012/2019; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Wollondilly Shire Council
Wollondilly is among the most rural of the Greater Sydney councils — zoned RU1, RU2 and RU4 across most of the Shire outside its town centres. The 50m² and 200m² genuine farm-building shed exemptions both have real, substantial application here.
Source: Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan 2011; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Fairfield City Council
Despite being one of Sydney's more densely populated inner-western LGAs, Fairfield retains rural zoning — RU1, RU2, RU4 and RU5 all appear in its LEP 2013. The 50m² shed exemption is available within these zones, though geographically limited compared to more rural councils.
Source: Fairfield Local Environmental Plan 2013; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Hawkesbury City Council
Hawkesbury is one of the most rural councils in Greater Sydney — RU1, RU2, RU4 and RU5 zones cover much of the LGA, alongside R5 Large Lot Residential, reflecting the Hawkesbury River valley's agricultural character. Both the 50m² and genuine farm-building 200m² shed exemptions have substantial real application here.
Source: Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Campbelltown City Council
Campbelltown has rural-zoned land, confirmed through its own specific provisions for horses and cattle on rural premises (9m dwelling setback, paved stable floors). Where rural zoning applies, the 50m² shed exemption is available; confirm your specific property's zone code via the NSW Planning Portal, as the exact rural zone mix wasn't fully itemised in council's own published poultry/livestock material.
Source: Campbelltown Local Environmental Plan 2015; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Ku-ring-gai Council
Ku-ring-gai's zone list includes RU5 Village alongside its standard residential zones (R1–R5), confirmed directly from council's own poultry-keeping guidance. Properties within RU5 may access the 50m² shed exemption; standard residential-zoned properties (the majority of the LGA) are capped at 20m². Properties zoned E3 or E4 need to check their specific development pathway, since council notes these require a Development Application for poultry keeping too.
Source: Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan (Local Centres) 2012 / Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015; SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my council set its own dam or water rules in NSW?
No. Dam harvestable rights, licensing thresholds, and irrigation water access licences are all administered state-wide by WaterNSW, consistently regardless of which council you're in. What varies by council is zoning, which affects development consent requirements layered on top.
Why does my shed exemption size depend on my council?
It doesn't directly — it depends on your property's zoning, which your council's Local Environmental Plan sets. Some Sydney councils, like Hunters Hill and Georges River, have no rural zoning at all, meaning every property is capped at the standard 20m² exemption. Others, like Hawkesbury and Wollondilly, have substantial rural land where the larger 50m² and 200m² farm-building exemptions apply.
How do I find out my property's exact zoning?
The NSW Planning Portal lets you search any address and see its current zoning directly — this is the most reliable way to confirm whether the rural shed exemptions apply to your specific property.
Where do I find my own council's exact rules if it isn't listed here?
Search "[your council name] LEP zoning" or check the NSW Planning Portal directly — this page covers a first batch of Sydney councils and more are being added over time.