Coastal design guidelines

• Landowners
• Developers
• Councils and plan making authorities
• Designers, architects and landscape architects

Chapter 3 of the NSW Coastal Design Guidelines will apply to all planning proposals in the coastal zone. Chapter 4 relates to urban design and will be optional.

Updating the guidelines is an action funded under initiative 2 of the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy 2018-2028.

The update ensures the guidelines are consistent with the coastal management framework that commenced in 2016.

• Reflect the coastal management framework that commenced in 2016
• Focus planning on local needs
• Provide clear guidance about planning proposals
• Balance environmental, economic, social and cultural needs
• Ensure land use and design begin with respect for Country and Aboriginal heritage
• Guide planning for coastal hazards

The guidelines apply to the entire NSW coastal zone. The NSW coastal zone consists of the coastal wetlands and littoral rainforests area, coastal vulnerability area, coastal environment area and coastal use areas. You can view these areas on the department’s spatial viewer.

The guidelines:

• support a balance between environmental, economic, social and cultural needs
• cater to growing communities and their changing needs
• support coastal industries such as fishing, boating and tourism
• support diverse housing supply in suitable locations.

Planners and designers must consider Country in their plans. The guidelines refer to the Connecting with Country Draft Framework, which develops connections with Country for built environment projects in NSW.

The guidelines complement the NSW Government Architect’s Better Placed and Greener Places frameworks and provide more specific urban design guidance relevant to the coastal zone.