In the interests of informing the public and our members, this website previously provided links to the council's website, and to copies of documents necessary to fully understand the issues.

However in July 2004, several members of our group received a letter from solicitors acting on behalf of the council, demanding that council documents and links to the council's website be removed from this website.

Lacking the financial resources to defend any action brought by the council, 5 Acres Now had no choice but to comply.

This is an extraordinary misuse of both ratepayers' funds and copyright law, in a misguided attempt to stifle free and open discussion about an important issue.

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A brief history of zoning controls in Sydney's outer northwest

Sometime in the early 60's, politicians and bureaucrats got the idea that we would all be better off if important decisions about our future were made for us, by them. What we needed was urban consolidation, they said. Here's how they brought that about:

Before 1951	No true planning controls. Most lots 25 - 100 acres
1951	County of Cumberland Planning Scheme Minimum lot size 5 acres
Late 1950's	Department of Local Government commences efforts to stop 5 acre subdivision Tries to increase minimum lot size to 25 acres Meets with great opposition
1962	25 acre minimum lot size zone imposed on most undeveloped land in Baulkham Hills.
1963	25 acre zone reduced to exclude existing 5 acre lots. A significant number of 5 acre lots remain in the 25 acre zone.
1964	Baulkham Hills Shire Planning Scheme Ordinance Creates 5 acre & 25 acre zones, following boundary set when 25 acre zone imposed. Some exemptions
1968	Sydney Region Outline Plan Predicts Sydney population of 5 million by 2000 Wants growth restricted to existing road and rail corridors Wants urban density increased Proposes development of northwest sector into a linear city over the longer term
1977	Interim Development Order 118 Added new 100 acre non-urban zone Defined 2 types of 5 acre zones – residential & agricultural Boundary between 5 acre zone and 25 acre zone unchanged Prohibited any subdivision resulting in a lot smaller than the zone Zones named "Non-urban 1(a), 1(b), 1(c), 1(d).
1977	State government decrees that the designation "Non-urban" must be discontinued. Instead, zones are to be named rural, village, township, or environmental protection.
1987	Non-urban 1(d) zone amended to allow lots smaller than 5 acres while retaining an overall density of 1 dwelling per 5 acres. Zone only applied to one parcel of council-owned land.
1991	Baulkham Hills Local Environment Plan 1991 Maintained existing boundaries and subdivision minima. Renamed non-urban zones to "rural" in compliance with government directive.
2000	Shaping our Cities & Shaping Western Sydney Wants to stop urban sprawl Encourages increased urban density Discourages development in city fringe
2003	Baulkham Hills Local Environment Plan 2003 Maintains 4 existing "rural" zones for non-urban areas. Boundaries unchanged.

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5 acres – a reasonable minimum lot size for Sydney's outer northwest. 25 acres – ridiculous!