The draft Sutherland Shire local environmental plan may not be gazetted until the end of March following recent indications given to the council by the Department of Planning and Environment.
Some councillors had hoped that the LEP would be gazetted by the end of the year.
The LEP preparation has taken several years.
It has been exhibited three times in the past 18 months, generating 4901 submissions, and has been subject of an independent inquiry.
The third and final version of the draft Sutherland Shire local environmental plan 2013 was sent off last month to Planning Minister Pru Goward for final consideration.
Sutherland Shire Council received 1350 submissions on the third version of the draft LEP when it was exhibited for 28 days in September.
Some submissions raised valid concerns which justified an amendment to the draft LEP but to enact the changes would require re-exhibition, said the final report on the LEP by council staff.
‘‘Given that the preparation of the new LEP has been very protracted, exhibited three times and been subject to an independent review, it is not in the public interest to further delay the plan,’’ the report said.
Instead, the council’s final report recommended that the draft Sutherland Shire LEP 2013 be submitted to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for gazettal.
The Leader is seeking comment from the department.