Michael Daley and Labor will end the Liberals’ backdoor spot rezoning process for developers which has hijacked the planning system in Sydney.

This will stop developers going to the state government to seek a site-specific amendment to a council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) after it has been rejected by a council. LEPs set zoning controls across local council areas, determining what type of development can take place.

Spot rezoning, also known as a Pre-Gateway or Rezoning review, was introduced by the Liberals and Nationals in 2012 as a developer-friendly backdoor.

This has allowed non-conforming development proposals to proceed without the consent of councils and local communities.

Mr Daley said: “Communities across Sydney have been bypassed by a planning system and a Government which is entirely beholden to the interests of big developers.

“Communities deserve certainty that when zoning rules are set, they will be left alone and not tinkered with by developers who run off to the state government

A Daley Labor Government will also ensure fairness in the planning system by having the Greater Sydney Commission work with councils to ensure local planning standards no longer vary wildly across council borders.

Instead the GSC will assist councils and make sure the process of reviewing LEPs is easier for councils.

NSW Shadow Minister for Planning Tania Mihailuk said: “The Liberals have rigged the planning system in favour of big developers at the expense of ordinary people and public amenity.

“We will shut the developers’ backdoor into the planning system and treat communities and local councils with the respect they deserve.”

Labor will maintain existing processes for critical infrastructure. Councils will still be able to make an application to amend their own LEP in line with current practice.

“It is time to end the overdevelopment madness and restore sanity to the planning system in NSW,” said Mr Daley.