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

1 Introduction

The Draft MidCoast Rural Strategy has been prepared by MidCoast Council with assistance from City Plan Strategy and Development, in partnership with Aurora Research and Development and MJD Environmental.

While there is no commonly accepted definition of ‘rural’ for the purposes of land use and development planning, it is generally accepted that rural areas have smaller population sizes and lower development densities e.g. larger lots and greater separation between buildings, when compared to urban towns and villages. Rural landscapes are, therefore, a defining feature of the MidCoast Local Government Area (LGA).

The Strategy follows on from the high-level analysis of our opportunities and challenges as a functional economic region in the MidCoast Regional Economic Development Strategy and looks at opportunities for Council, with other key stakeholders, to realise the objectives and game-changer projects outlined in Hunter Regional Plan 2036 and MidCoast Tourism Destination Management Plan and to guide and inform strategy and evidence-based planning into the future.

The Strategy also aims to provide clear and consistent land use planning and management principles that can be used to inform preparation of not only the new MidCoast Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, but well-balanced development and conservation outcomes across our rural landscape into the future.

In doing so, the Strategy performs two critical functions:

1. identify Strategic Recommendations to provide a common understanding of the relevance of current planning policy and strategic frameworks guiding the use and management of land and water resources outside towns and villages, consistent with the requirements of relevant legislation; and

2. document Local Plan Recommendations to establish a clear and consistent framework for the application of environmental planning instrument objectives and controls to rural lands, within the inaugural MidCoast local environmental plan and development control plan, and subsequent amendments to these plans.

Significantly, the purpose of the Rural Strategy is not to identify any new urban release areas or new areas of rural residential development.

The Strategy represents an important first step in providing a common understanding for the development and application of planning controls in rural areas of the MidCoast and will inform Council’s participation and advocacy of other strategic planning initiatives undertaken by State and Regional agencies, that may affect the ongoing occupation and use of these rural lands.

Finally, the Rural Strategy and background 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.