Cumberland Plain Contributions
The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) is now in place, approved by the NSW Minister for Environment under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the Commonwealth Minister for Environment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The department collects biodiversity contributions to fund the delivery of direct measures within the CPCP conservation program, which includes 26 commitments and 131 actions designed to improve ecological resilience and protect biodiversity in Western Sydney.
More information on the biodiversity contributions for the CPCP, including a map of the contributions areas, are in the Housing and Productivity Contribution Implementation Guide (PDF, 6.4 MB).
Strategic biodiversity component
The strategic biodiversity component for the CPCP will commence on 1 July 2024. It applies to new developments on land that has been biodiversity certified as part of the CPCP under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
The CPCP strategic biodiversity component is based on recovering the full cost of delivering the CPCP’s direct conservation measures and reflects the known acquisition costs for the new biodiversity stewardship agreements and reserves required under the CPCP’s approval.
The department consulted on the strategic biodiversity contribution’s introduction in August 2023 as part of consultation on the Housing and Productivity Contribution. A CPCP specific Capacity to Pay Report (PDF, 1.2 MB) was also published at that time.
Area and types of development
A CPCP strategic biodiversity component is required for development consent granted within certified land for the purposes of residential development, commercial development and industrial development.
More information about the strategic biodiversity component and the broader Housing and Productivity Contribution Framework can be found in the Housing and Productivity Contribution Implementation Guide (PDF, 6.4 MB).
Biodiversity component rates
The CPCP strategic biodiversity component rates are:
| Class of development | SBC amount (per unit) | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Residential subdivision | $10,000 | New dwelling lot |
| Medium or high-density residential development | $10,000 | New dwelling |
| Commercial development | $60 | Square metre of new GFA |
| Industrial development | $30 | Square metre of new GFA |
Phasing-in the CPCP strategic biodiversity component
The CPCP strategic biodiversity component will be discounted in the first 2 years. The following discounts apply at the time payments are made.
| Year | Discount rate |
|---|---|
| First year (1 July 2024 - June 2025) | 50% |
| Second year (July 2025 - June 2026) | 25% |
Third year onwards (July 2026 +) *full contribution applies | 0% |
Land dedication
In limited circumstances, an alternative to paying a monetary contribution is an offer to dedicate land to the department through a voluntary planning agreement.
A voluntary planning agreement is not an appropriate or practical option for all land in the CPCP area. The department has published the Land dedication criteria for the CPCP fact sheet (PDF, 52 KB) to guide consideration of whether land offered for dedication is of sufficient biodiversity value to reduce or remove the need to pay a biodiversity contribution.