Coastal protection
The NSW coastline has come under increasing pressure as it continues to attract many new residents and visitors seeking the lifestyle and environment of coastal living. Planning for coastal communities must balance the need to provide jobs, housing, facilities and transport for a growing population while maintaining the coast's unique qualities.
The NSW Government in June 2001 announced its $11.7 million Coastal Protection Package to protect the State's beaches, headlands and other coastal features for generations to come. As a part of this Package, planning and development within the NSW Coastal Zone (as declared under the Coastal Protection Act 1979) is now subject to a Ministerial direction for coastal protection, NSW Coastal Policy, SEPP 71 - Coastal Protection, and the Major Projects SEPP (which identifies coastal development that will need the approval of the Minister for Planning).
NSW Coastal Zone
Copies of the statutory maps showing the area declared as the NSW Coastal Zone can be viewed at the Department's Head Office and relevant regional offices and local councils.
Extension of the NSW Coastal Zone
On 18 November 2005 the Minister for Natural Resources gazetted a notice extending the NSW Coastal Zone to the greater metropolitan region.
Coastal Zone maps for the greater metropolitan region
Planning Circular 05-012 [PDF] - Planning implications of the extension of the NSW Coast zone, reissued 22 November 2005.
Media release - Greater protection for NSW coastline [PDF]
Fact sheet - Coastal Zone reforms [PDF] [RTF]
State Environmental Planning Policy No. 71 - Coastal Protection
State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) No. 71 - Coastal Protection commenced on 1 November 2002. The Policy has been made under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to ensure:
- development in the NSW coastal zone is appropriate and suitably located;
- there is a consistent and strategic approach to coastal planning and management; and
- there is a clear development assessment framework for the Coastal Zone.
Click here to access information about SEPP 71
Comprehensive Coastal Assessment (CCA)
Comprehensive Coastal Assessment is another key element of the NSW Government's Coastal Protection Package. A Comprehensive Coastal Assessment toolkit is now available to help local councils, government agencies and others undertake important strategic land use planning. The toolkit represents a whole-of-government three-year investment in identifying, analysing and assessing data and information on the physical, biological, social and economic values of the State's coastline.
Protecting our coast: the comprehensive coastal assessment toolkit [PDF brochure]
Read more about Comprehensive Coastal Assessment (CCA)
Further information
T 02 9228 6549
E coastalplanning@planning.nsw.gov.au
Coastal Lands Protection Scheme (CLPS)
The Coastal Lands Protection Scheme is used to bring significant coastal lands into public ownership and provides for their long term management and care. The Department administers the Scheme which receives an annual budget allocation of $3 million for acquisitions.
The Scheme, which commenced in 1973, identified certain lands to be protected and acquired. These lands usually included features such as headlands, dunes, hinterland, coastal lagoons and lakes, particularly where the original vegetation was still dominant. More recently the Scheme has been used to acquire additional lands on an opportunistic basis, if they meet certain criteria.
The main criteria for acquisition under the Scheme are:
- Public access: to promote public access to the coastal foreshore.
- Scenic quality: to maintain the scenic quality of the NSW coast.
- Ecological values: to protect ecological sites of regional, state and/or national significance.
Since the Scheme commenced approximately 15,336 hectares at a total cost of $67.87 million have been acquired (as at March 2008). By identifying, acquiring and reserving land we have been able to create new coastal national parks and reserves for public enjoyment.
The Department's land managers and resource specialists work together to negotiate purchases under the Scheme. The Land Management Branch arranges the transfer of land to management agencies such as the Department of Environment and Climate Change (for a national park), the Department of Lands (for a Crown Reserve) or under some circumstances the local council (for a public reserve).
Further information
T 02 9228 6557
E julie.conlon@planning.nsw.gov.au