UNSW Built Environment
Alice Steele
CITY PLANNING 2021 Planning in times of uncertainty
Bachelor of City Planning (Honours)
Full-Service Sydney: An Analysis of Brothel Regulation in Sydney’s Three Cities ‘The perceived immorality of sex work has led to brothels being subject to harsher zoning restrictions than many other land uses.’ Since the decriminalisation of fullservice sex work in New South Wales in 1995, brothels have been regulated by the planning system through local government’s Local Environmental Plans. Each council throughout Sydney has taken a different approach, leading to a patchwork of permissibility throughout Sydney. Although planning policy and decisions should be made on the basis of amenity impacts, the perceived immorality of sex work has led to brothels being subject to harsher zoning restrictions than many other land uses with similar amenity impacts. This thesis highlights the importance of consultation with sex workers and industry groups, providing agency to the workers who are directly
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impacted by these policy decisions. This thesis analyses the policy approaches taken by the City of Sydney Council, Parramatta Council and Penrith Council. A literature review, policy review and mapping exercise are the methodologies utilised to analyse policy within these three council areas. Ultimately, this thesis recognises the City of Sydney as a model of best practice, in which consideration is given to the amenity impacts which brothels may have on incompatible land uses, whilst maintaining the position that sex-services premises are legitimate uses within the wider community.
