Draft MidCoast Rural Strategy

4.1

Data Gaps – Challenges and Opportunities

As stated in the Introduction of this document, the draft Rural Strategy and associated reports, are acknowledged as a snapshot in time. While establishing a baseline of rural information, the recommendations should be progressively reviewed and improved over time, in consultation with community and industry stakeholders and as more information and insights become available. In particular, a range of data gaps were identified in each report that represent challenges to the current need for clear and consistent planning guidelines to be established across the MidCoast, but also represent opportunities to improve our evidence-based land use planning and development in the future. Table 4. Data Gaps identified in Background Reports to Rural Strategy

Agriculture Background Report Agricultural land mapping While there is Biophysical strategic agricultural land (BSAL) mapping is available for the MidCoast from 2013-2014, there currently is no Important Agricultural Land Mapping that considers social and economic factors e.g. infrastructure, markets, labour, location of existing industries, in addition to biophysical factors. This type of mapping is considered best practice for strategic rural land-use planning and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment have been engaged in preparing this mapping since 2016, although at the time of writing, this information is not available for the MidCoast. Lot size/holding requirements There is limited information on the minimum lot size/holding requirements as it relates to land-based capacity for existing or emerging agricultural industries. This information is discussed as part of a high-level review within the report, but cannot directly inform lot size, land use or zone recommendations for environmental planning instruments at this time. Land Based Conservation Background Report Biodiversity The probability of occurrence for many Threatened Ecological Communities, Threatened and Migratory species has been confirmed through previous survey work based on broad distribution modelling and would need to be confirmed through additional on-ground and seasonally appropriate survey work. The draft Regional Conservation Plan priority areas for conservation, restoration and conservation off-sets to urban release areas have not been transitioned into the Hunter Regional Plan. Potential biodiversity corridors and the information available is currently only provided at a State or regional scale. Ongoing review and evaluation of these areas is to be considered as part of the MidCoast Biodiversity Framework program to ensure the availability of local-scale mapping and appropriate allocation of federal, state, regional and local resources to facilitate identification, management and protection of these areas.

Draft MidCoast Rural Strategy

Articles inside

Table 10. Recommended E3 Environmental Management Zone Criteria

Table 9. Recommended E2 Environmental Conservation Zone Criteria

Figure 18. NSW Planning Legislation Framework

Figure 17. Current Planning Controls, from Local Strategic Planning Statement

Figure 16. Coastal Zone of the MidCoast, Coastal Management SEPP 2018

Figure 15. Priority Drinking Water Catchments and Aquifer Catchments in the MidCoast

Figure 14. Broad Catchment Areas of the MidCoast from the Rural Waterways paper

Figure 13. Hunter Regional Plan 'Proposed Biodiversity Corridors'

Figure 12. The MidCoast LGA - Location, Infrastructure and Natural Assets

Figure 11. Location of MidCoast centres, from Local Strategic Planning Statement

Figure 10. Experiences available across the 'Green Grid' of the MidCoast

Figure 9. Destination Barrington Coast, statistics from December 2020

Figure 8. Our Growing and Changing Population, from MidCoast Housing Strategy

Figure 7: Typical mine or quarry project life cycle

Figure 6: Location of underground resources in the MidCoast

Table 8. MidCoast Tourism Destination Management Plan SWOT of Rural Tourism

Figure 5. MidCoast contribution to NSW economy by agricultural industry (ABS 2011

Table 7. MidCoast LSPS Planning Priorities relevant to the Rural Strategy

Table 6. MidCoast 2030 Goals and Actions relevant to the Rural Strategy

Table 5. NSW Government Priority Actions relevant to MidCoast Rural Strategy

Figure 4. Location Quotients and Employment Growth for MidCoast Industries

Figure 3. Strategic Actions for Priority Growth Industries in the Hunter

Figure 2. Hunter Regional Development Investment Prospectus, Local Government Areas

Table 4. Data Gaps identified in Background Reports to Rural Strategy

Table 1. Non-Urban Zones from the Standard Instrument Principal Local Environmental Plan available to use across the rural landscape of the MidCoast Local Government Area

Table 2. Strategic Centres and Centres of Local Significance, Hunter Regional Plan 2036

Table 3. Major legislation, policy and strategies influencing the Rural Strategy

Figure 1. Rural, Environmental and Waterway zoned land considered in the Rural Strategy

1 Strategic Goals and Local Planning...................................................................................64

1 Data Gaps – Challenges and Opportunities......................................................................19