Draft Norfolk Island Plan Recommended Amendments 2026

Published on 04 March 2026

At the 25 February 2026 Ordinary Council Meeting, Norfolk Island Regional Council (Council) resolved to recommend to the Minister's delegate, Mr. George Plant, that the ‘draft Norfolk Island Plan – Recommended Amendments 2026’ (Plan) – with recommended amendments to improve the clarity and efficient implementation of the Plan – be approved under section 12(1) of the Planning Act 2002 (NI). 

The recommended amendments to the Plan are generally categorised as: 

• Typographical corrections
• Updates to terminology to ensure consistent use throughout the Plan 
• Refinements to wording to improve clarity and support interpretation 
• Review of Administrative and Purpose Definitions to improve clarity and intent. 

The recommended amendments do not involve: 

• Changes to the overall structure of the Plan 
• Changes to development and subdivision standards 
• Introduction of any new use or development definitions. 

Two (2) public submissions were received during the four-week Public Exhibition period between 10 October and 7 November 2025. Council assessed the matters raised in the public submissions against the scope of this amendment process, and considered that the matters raised either fell outside this scope or were already addressed in the current Norfolk Island Plan 2002.  

As a result, Council has recommended that the draft Plan be approved without further alteration in response to submissions. 

To view more details on how Council considered the public submissions, please follow Steps 1 to 3 below, then under ‘2 Norfolk Island Plan 2002 - Draft Plan to Make Amendments to Facilitate Implementation of the Plan’, select ‘Report’. 

The draft Plan titled ‘Norfolk Island Plan 2022 – Recommended Amendments 2026 – Red Line version’ shows the proposed amendments highlighted in red text. To view this draft Plan (Red Line version) on Council’s website, follow these steps: 

Step 1.  Visit the 2026 Council Meetings 

Step 2. Select the ‘Ordinary Council Meeting - 25 February 2026’ link. 

Step 3. Scroll down to ‘14 INFORMATION REPORTS’. 

Step 4.  Under ‘2 Norfolk Island Plan 2002 - Draft Plan to Make Amendments to Facilitate Implementation of the Plan’, select the ‘Norfolk Island Plan Recommended Amendments 2026 with maps’.