policy
Renewable Hydrogen Zone Planning Policy: Newcastle City Council Funding Vote Sets It Apart from Other Hunter LGAs
Newcastle residents near the port and heavy industrial precincts will see dedicated planning staff assigned to hydrogen project approvals from August under the council's adopted allocation.
How we reported this
Newcastle City Council on 7 July voted to commit three full-time equivalent staff positions to the state Renewable Hydrogen Zone Planning Policy, a step that places the city ahead of Singleton and Cessnock councils which have so far allocated one position each under the same framework.
The policy requires local government areas within designated hydrogen zones to prepare site-specific planning controls and fast-track approvals for electrolyser and storage facilities. The designation covers land around the Port of Newcastle and the former BHP steelworks site. The vote followed release of the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure guidance note dated 12 June that set minimum staffing levels for each participating council.
Why the timing matters for the Hunter
State budget papers released in June allocated $78 million over four years to support hydrogen zone infrastructure across five local government areas. Newcastle accounts for the largest share of that footprint because the Port of Newcastle already handles bulk liquid trade and has existing high-voltage connections. Council officers told the meeting that without dedicated staff the city risked missing the first round of project applications expected in the first quarter of 2027.
For residents in suburbs such as Carrington and Mayfield the immediate effect will be changes to development application processing for sites within the zone boundary. The legislation states that councils must decide hydrogen-related applications within 90 days once the zone controls are in place. Neighbouring Lake Macquarie City Council has not yet set a staffing target, meaning applications lodged near the shared boundary may face different timeframes depending on which side of the line they fall.
Next steps for local projects
The adopted resolution directs council staff to place the draft zone controls on public exhibition by 30 September. Residents will be able to make submissions on buffer distances and visual amenity rules during that period. The government says the policy will create an estimated 1,200 direct construction jobs across the Hunter by 2029, with the majority of those roles expected to be based at facilities inside the Newcastle zone.
Council will report back on exhibition feedback at its November ordinary meeting. Any amendments to the controls must be endorsed before the state government can finalise the zone boundary map for the 2027 financial year.