12. Proposed amendments to the CM SEPP

Council flagged our intent to submit a planning proposal for amendment of Coastal

Wetlands mapping in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018. (CM SEPP) in the Stage 1 Scoping Study for the ECMP. We engaged Locale Consulting to prepare evidence for the planning proposal for the Manning River ECMP and Old BarManning Point CMP Planning Areas. Their report Recommendations and evidence to support a future Planning Proposal to amend the CM SEPP – Coastal Wetlands (Locale Consulting 2021) is provided in Annexure M. It covers both coastal wetlands and littoral rainforest, noting there is no littoral rainforest in the Manning River ECMP Planning Area. It is Council’s intent to wait until fine-scale mapping and analysis has been completed for coastal wetlands across the entire LGA before submitting the planning proposal. The current exercise is therefore a first step in this process. A comprehensive community engagement and consultation program with affected landholders will be undertaken prior to submission of a planning proposal. As part of MidCoast Council's commitment to the Coastal Management Program, detailed mapping of two of the coastal management areas was undertaken in 2019 - coastal wetlands and littoral rainforests. This finer-scale mapping shows additional areas outside currently mapped areas in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018.

The report prepared by Locale Consulting presents the results of a detailed analysis of the mapping and justification for the mapped areas in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018 to be updated, via the Planning Proposal process. The mapping analysis gave detailed consideration to the following:

• Existing State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018 mapping • Definition of coastal wetlands and littoral rainforest • Confidence in mapping methodology • Condition of coastal wetlands and littoral rainforest

The technical mapping analysis identified an additional 317.97 hectares comprising 112 wetlands in the Manning River catchment, noting these generally include parts of lots. Of the areas identified as coastal wetlands 123 lots (284.98 hectares) of private property are included.

The environmental protection of these areas will have positive value to the broader community (being consistent with both the MidCoast Local Strategic Planning Statement and Community Strategic Plan) and implements a priority action in the Coastal Management Program. Further, much of the land to which the mapping applies has already been identified as having high conservation biodiversity value and as such represents “endangered ecological communities” under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Biodiversity values of coastal wetlands are further protected under MidCoast Council’s respective Local Environmental Plans, Fisheries Management Act 1994, Water Management Act 2000 and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Ensuring that the locations of the coastal wetlands are correctly mapped under the policy that provides high level planning controls (i.e. State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018) will help to protect them in their natural state, including their biological diversity and ecosystem integrity. In turn, this will promote the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded parts of these important coastal management areas. This is consistent with the management objectives of the Coastal Management Act 2016, the Marine Estate Management Act and the NSW Government’s NSW Wetland Policy’s principles for management and conservation.

Annexure on exhibition:

Further information can be downloaded from www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/haveyoursay

• Annexure M: Recommendations and evidence to support a future Planning

Proposal to amend the CM SEPP – Coastal Wetlands (Locale Consulting 2021)

13. Conclusion

The Manning River, its tributaries and the estuary give life to our community connecting the mountains to the sea.

The estuary is important for oyster-growing, fishing, tourism and recreation. Up-river the Manning and its tributaries provide water for drinking, stock and irrigation. Our community values the beautiful scenery, the cool places to swim and relax, and the wildlife that can be glimpsed hiding in the deep pools. All these uses depend on a healthy ecosystem and clean water.

Some of the issues we need to manage are lack of stewardship, climate change, loss of coastal wetlands and riparian vegetation, floodplain drainage, Acid Sulfate Soils, and agricultural impacts.

By working with our community and partner organisations to implement the Manning River ECMP, MidCoast Council will lead a 10-year action program to address these issues.

Together we will manage the catchment holistically and respond to a changing climate safeguarding environmental, social, cultural and economic values.