Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005 (Harbour REP) covers all the waterways if the Harbour, the foreshores and entire catchment. It establishes a set of planning principles to be used by councils for the preparation of planning instruments, for the hydrological catchment of the Harbour. It also zones the waterways into nine different zones to suit the differing environmental characteristics and land uses of the harbour and its tributaries.

The Harbour REP includes a range of matters for consideration by consent authorities assessing development within the Foreshores and Waterways Area of the Plan. These are aimed at ensuring better and consistent development decisions and include such issues as ecological and scenic quality, built form and design, maintenance of views, public access and recreation and working harbour uses. The REP includes provisions relating to heritage conservation and wetlands protection and provides planning controls for strategic foreshore sites.

On 27 July 2007, Amendment No. 1 to the REP was gazetted, which establishes a buffer zone around the Sydney Opera House as well as supporting planning controls to give added protection to its world heritage values.

Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005 - legal instrument as amended (available on the NSW legislation website)
Explanatory notes to the REP