Native Vegetation Removal Form

The Native Vegetation Removal Form is to be used when seeking approval to clear native vegetation that forms part of a Native Vegetation Community on private land, and the removal is not associated with development.  See   Part C of the Urban Forest Technical Manual for further information and guidance.

This form is to be submitted to City of Newcastle for assessment when the native vegetation to be removed is:

(a) a threatened ecological community or is a threatened plant species listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 or Fisheries Management Act 1994; or

(b) 1 or more native trees or shrubs that form part of a native vegetation community, and the proposal includes the removal of native understorey; or

(c) 4 or more native trees or shrubs that form part of a native vegetation community (with or without native understorey removal); or

(d) any other native vegetation including understorey plants, groundcovers and plants occurring in a wetland, and is less than the biodiversity offsets scheme threshold identified under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Note: If the clearing of vegetation relates to a threatened species, threatened ecological community, a matter of national environmental significance, or is located on sensitive environmental lands, a development application may be the more appropriate pathway for the proposal to be assessed by City of Newcastle. Please contact us about your options prior to submitting your application.

Note:  The State Environmental Planning Policy (Vegetation in Non-rural Areas) 2017 prohibits the City of Newcastle from issuing permits for clearing of native vegetation that exceeds the biodiversity offsets scheme threshold, or is on land identified by the Biodiversity Values Map as defined by the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017.

Please ensure all information is clearly legible and all documents/payments are received by City of Newcastle on lodgement, otherwise the application cannot be processed or accepted.

This form should NOT be used for applications involving vegetation that:  

• is or forms part of a heritage item or is within a heritage conservation area
• is or forms part of an Aboriginal object or is within an Aboriginal place of heritage significance  

In these instances your are required to lodge a   Heritage Notification Form and seek City of Newcastle endorsement that the works are considered minor and would not adversely affect the heritage significance of the item or property.  If City of Newcastle endorsement is not given, you will be required to lodge a Development Application in accordance with Clause 5.10(3) of the   Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012.

For further information please visit our Tree, Shrub and Vegetation Removal page.  

Click here to view a copy of the Native Vegetation Removal Form