A NEW Bombala Local Environmental Plan (LEP) formalises key industrial areas and provides for residential expansion of the township, while recognising the importance of agricultural land to the region, according to the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure.

The Department, under delegation from the Minister, announced approval of the new LEP last week, saying it worked closely with the Council to deliver updated planning controls to support growth in the Shire.

Director-General of the Department, Sam Haddad, said $70,000 was provided to assist the council to prepare strategies and complete mapping for the new LEP.

"This LEP updates the existing planning controls and brings them into the standard LEP template, to provide greater consistency in the types of zones that apply across other local government areas in NSW," Mr Haddad said.

In addition to the heritage sites already listed under the previous LEP, four additional sites have been listed as local heritage items: St Matthias Church in Bombala; St Phillip's Anglican Church in Delegate; Crankies Plain Bridge; and Bombala Railway Station and Yard Group.

Other features of the new LEP include:

• Protection of important agricultural land; and
• Protection for land with significant environmental values, as well as rivers and streams that are important for water supply, recreational fishing and tourism.

"The new LEP has provided a framework for the council to continue to modernise its planning controls and also strikes a balance between promoting growth, protecting rural industries and conserving Bombala's unique environmental attributes," Mr Haddad said.