Northern Territory Planning Scheme

This section has information about the Northern Territory (NT) Planning Scheme, proposed changes to the scheme, and how to comment on those proposals.

What the scheme covers

The NT Planning Scheme applies to the whole of the NT apart from those areas covered by the Jabiru Town Plan.

The NT Planning Scheme includes the following:

• statements about land use policy
• development controls that allow, prohibit or put conditions on a use or development of land
• instructions, guidelines and assessment criteria to help the consent authority to assess and decide on development applications
• maps, plans, designs and diagrams.

Read the NT Planning Scheme

NT Planning Scheme PDF (49.1 MB)

This is a large document and will take a while to download. Individual sections, linked below, will download much quicker.

The scheme needs to be read alongside referenced documents such as land use policies, guidelines and zoning maps.

Individual scheme sections

Instead of downloading the full NT Planning Scheme, you can get individual sections below:

Table of contents PDF (276.2 KB)

User guide to the Northern Territory Planning Scheme PDF (63.8 MB)

Part 1 PDF (638.9 KB) - including application of the planning schemes, exceptions and definitions

Part 2 PDF (3.7 MB) - planning principles and framework

Part 3 PDF (387.4 KB) - zones and zone purpose

Part 4 PDF (640.8 KB) - performance criteria for general, residential, commercial, industrial and non-urban use and development

Part 5 PDF (257.5 KB) - subdivision

Part 6 PDF (317.4 KB) - Aboriginal communities and towns

Part 7 PDF (316.4 KB) - transport and infrastructure

Part 8 PDF (47.4 MB) - area plans

Schedule 1: schedule to clause 2.4 specific uses PDF (23.1 MB) - specific use zones and the associated special provisions

Schedule 2: schedule to clause 2.7 reference to policy PDF (64.2 KB) - NT Planning Scheme policies that the consent authority must take into account when making a decision on an application.

Schedule 3: schedule to clause 2.8 reference to guidelines PDF (119.7 KB) - NT Planning Scheme guidelines that all applicants must consider and that the consent authority must take into account when making a decision

Schedule 4: schedule to clause 12.1 Aboriginal community living areas PDF (243.3 KB) - parcels of land which are Aboriginal community living areas by law

Schedule 5: schedule to clause 12.2 towns on Aboriginal land PDF (197.0 KB) - parcels of land identified as towns on Aboriginal land for which specific use rights apply

Schedule 6: schedule to clause 1.3 sub-clause 2(l) exceptions PDF (197.5 KB) - parcels of land exempt from normal NT Planning Scheme requirements due to the continued use of a community or government facility established prior to 1 February 2007

Background material PDF (233.4 KB) - background material used in the development of the NT Planning Scheme

Zoning matrix PDF (422.9 KB) - an overview of the uses allowed in each zone