Introduction

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Houses and apartment blocks in the four Newington precincts have their own Community Title governed by by-laws and architectural and landscaping standards that preserve the unique character of the suburb. These standards are contained in the “Architecture and Landscaping Standards” (ALS) and “Community Management Statement” (CMS) documents, which need to be modernised and simplified to make them up-to-date and easier to understand and apply. The four precincts of the Newington community have recently started working together to establish a project to modernise these documents.

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What is the ALS?

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The Architecture and Landscaping Standards (ALS) underpin the design of the Newington community, including landscaping, architectural finishes, design and land use. The ALS were initially created as part of the development of this area for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. While each precinct has its own registered ALS, they are all very similar to one another.

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What is the CMS?

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The Community Management Statement (CMS) is an important document that sets out the by-laws and other details of the community plan and helps the Community Association run the community scheme efficiently. While each precinct has its own registered CMS, they are all very similar to one another.

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How do the ALS and CMS relate to each other?

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The Architectural and Landscaping Standards (ALS) and the Community Management Statement (CMS) are related but serve different purposes.

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• The ALS defines the design principles, materials, and landscaping requirements that help maintain Newington’s consistent architectural appearance and streetscape character.

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• The CMS sets out the governance framework for how each precinct operates — including community by-laws, property use, and maintenance responsibilities.

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Together, these two documents ensure that Newington retains both its distinctive look and its clear, functional management structure.

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Note: If you’d like to view your precinct’s current Architectural and Landscaping Standards (ALS) and Community Management Statement (CMS), these are available in the Documents section of this website.

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Why do the ALS/CMS need modernising?

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• Building planning controls and materials have changed since the ALS/CMS were instituted prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Residents have indicated that they want to be able to maintain and renovate their homes with more modern materials while still preserving the continuity of our suburb’s appearance.

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• The existing ALS and CMS documents are lengthy and challenging for residents to navigate. Originally drafted in a legalistic style to facilitate inspections, they would be more effective if rewritten in clear, accessible language, that would enable residents to readily understand and follow the requirements. As they stand, the documents contain outdated references - for example, to the 2000 Olympic Games - that are no longer relevant to contemporary community needs.

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• Owners are often unaware of the standards and process they are required to follow when maintaining or making modifications to their properties, including their duty to obtain approvals from their Community Association along the way.

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What needs to be done?

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Outcome

The aim of the project is to modernise the ALS/CMS documents so that they are both easy to understand and user-friendly, with graphics to more clearly show what is / is not compliant. Each precinct’s management committee has agreed to work together to:

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• cooperate with the other precincts to modernise their ALS and CMS and maintain the cohesive look and feel of the entire suburb, and

• share the cost of doing this and thus minimise costs for all, by not repeating the same work four times.

 

As part of the modernisation, the consulting architects will develop guidelines for development applications to Council. Guidelines will include ensuring that copies of development applications and any variations are received by the precinct to enable oversight through the Council approval process - saving time by allowing both approvals to begin together. The modernisation project will also consult with Parramatta Council to ensure that the requirements of the new ALS are in line with Council requirements.

 

The outcome will be a set of documents that will be presented to residents of each precinct for their approval.

 

Process

A working group has been established, with representatives appointed by the four elected Newington precinct executive committees. This is the “Newington ALS/CMS Modernisation Committee”, and it will meet regularly in 2025 and 2026 to guide the modernisation process and will be seeking input from interested owners at various stages during the process.

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To support the process, an architect involved in the original design of the suburb, a lawyer experienced in dealing with Newington Community Association matters, and a project manager experienced in change management and stakeholder management, have been engaged to assist the committee deliver the project.

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How can you have your say?

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Click the link below to provide your initial input to this project. This feedback will support the committee's work. All owners are encouraged to participate.

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Further owner briefings, feedback and opportunities for input have also been planned at various stages of the project. Eventually, recommended changes to the ALS and CMS will need to be approved by owners in order to be adopted. At this stage it is anticipated this will happen in mid-to-late 2026.

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Note: If you’d like to view your precinct’s current Architectural and Landscaping Standards (ALS) and Community Management Statement (CMS), these are available in the Documents section of this website.