The Newcastle Character Assessment

The Newcastle Character Assessment is about protecting and reinforcing the identity and distinctiveness of Newcastle’s landscapes and townscapes.

It ensures that new development respects what is there and what is valued and makes the city a better place. For certain sites this might be by creating new character and identity where before the sense of place was weak or negative.  For others it will be by retaining and enhancing an already strong and attractive character. 

 The Council is committed to promoting places that are attractive, have identity and function well within their surroundings, improving the wider public realm and protecting the urban and rural landscape. Important views will be protected. We want development that will contribute to quality of life for residents as well as improving the impressions for visitors arriving in or passing through the City.
 
 The earlier assessment of rural areas is now extended into the urban areas and the results are being used in this document which encourages protection, enhancement and management of our landscape, green spaces, trees and biodiversity.

• Newcastle Character Assessment - background and user guide  (pdf, 300kb)
• Combined citywide and zone statements (pdf, 820kb)
• Here is our interactive map of the Character Assessment Areas and Zones in Newcastle.  You can zoom in and out to get a closer look of the area you're interested in.  Click-and-drag or use the arrow keys to move the move around.  Click an area on the map to display a pop-up box with more information on it.  
• There is an option in the bottom left corner of the map to switch the aerial photography on and off,
• There is an option in the bottom right to choose which layers to switch on and off,
• the magnifying glass icon in top right is an address search.
• ZONE INFORMATION SHEETS -
  • Zone A
  • Zone B
  • Zone C
  • Zone D
  • Zone E
  • Zone F
  • Zone G
  • Zone H
  • Zone J
  • Zone K
  • Zone L
  • Zone M
  • Zone N
• The PDF files on this page may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Request an accessible format.