Public Hearings

Residents and ratepayers are provided an opportunity to voice their opinion or concern to an independent facilitator under certain circumstances.

Council will arrange a public hearing following the exhibition of a planning proposal which seeks to change the classification of Council owned land from community land to operational land. Holding a public hearing on such matters is a requirement of the Local Government Act 1993 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

A public hearing may also be held where required by the Minister for Planning, or where determined necessary by Council, as part of the community consultation for a proposed amendment to Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012.

The Local Government Act 1993 also requires a public hearing to be held when community land is to be categorised for the first time or if the categorisation of community land is changed. All community land must be categorised in one of five categories:

  1. park
  2. sportsground
  3. area of cultural significance
  4. general community use
  5. natural area (further categorised as either foreshore, watercourse, bushland, escarpment or wetland).

Public hearings currently scheduled

Public Hearing 

As required under Section 40A of the Local Government Act 1993, a public hearing will be held in regards to the categorisation of the land included within the PoM.

The public hearing will be held on:

  • Thursday 30 October 2025
  • 5.30pm – 7.00pm
  • City Administration Centre, 12 Stewart Ave Newcastle West.

If you wish to attend the public hearing please register your interest by emailing [email protected] with the title of the email ‘Public Hearing Draft Community Land PoM’.

To find out more and view the draft PoM, visit haveyoursay.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/community-land-pom

For any enquiries on the public exhibition or the public hearing please contact City of Newcastle on 4974 2000.