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Figure 8. Our Growing and Changing Population, from MidCoast Housing Strategy
The majority of the MidCoast's population live and work along the coast, within reasonable commuting distance to Forster-Tuncurry, Taree and Newcastle and these major centres are expected to continue to provide the highest order of employment and services to residents and visitors in the coming decades.
Across the MidCoast there are 195 documented towns, villages and localities. Many of our rural communities live outside the MidCoast's main urban settlement areas and represent at least 5% of the 93,500 people who live in the local government area.
Each of these communities, their town or their village, is unique, having populations as small as 40 to over 600, being in both coastal areas and the rural hinterland, having a diverse level of services and infrastructure, connectedness and remoteness.
Given the make-up of each community and the built environment they inhabit is so broad, it is acknowledged that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to providing the right scale and mix of uses to support their daily needs and ensuring that mix remains relevant as populations and community needs change.
Long-term planning and plan-making can therefore only be informed by localised considerations, developed in close consultation with key stakeholders and communities over time. This process commenced with the exhibition of the MidCoast housing Strategy in 2020 which outlined broad recommendations for land uses and development standards for the RU5 Village zone and associated development standards.
Figure 8. Our Growing and Changing Population, from MidCoast Housing Strategy
However, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been pressure on our rural towns and villages to support a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse community.
This trend is not unique to the MidCoast, as confirmed by Fiona Simpson, President National Farmers Federation, to the National Press Club on 15 July 2020. In her presentation Ms Simpson outlined the Regional Australia Institute’s finding that in the
2016 Census 65,204 more people moved from cities to regional Australia, rather than in the opposite direction. The Institute also found that between 2011-2016 more than 1.2m moved to, or around, regional Australia.
Therefore, while the MidCoast is currently experiencing a time of great change, ensuring that our rural communities maintain their rich heritage and historic charm, while developing their accommodation and service capacities is of utmost importance.
This section therefore provides high-level considerations for how rural housing and accommodation is evolving and may be managed clearly and consistently through the planning framework.
The first stage in this process was the examination and review of our existing villages and ensuring their zones and extent were appropriately and consistently identified across the region. In doing so, a determination was made on what settlement pattern constitutes a village. Two new locations were identified at Bundook and Mt George, and three historic village zones were removed at Newell Creek, Markwell Road and Bunyah.
While our rural towns and villages tend to be more dispersed and can experience much lower level access to employment and other important services, they also play a significant role in providing social, economic and cultural activities that the region is renowned for.
Therefore while it is acknowledged that there are significant opportunities for diversification of accommodation and services on rural lands; and pressure to rezone and release additional rural land for residential purposes, Council must consider the potential for unintended consequences when allowing additional residential and visitor accommodation activities in areas where there may be limited services and infrastructure to cater to these demands.
Therefore, the focus of the Rural Strategy can only be, to reinforce the roles of our towns and villages for commercial and residential activity while allowing a diverse range of activities across the rural landscape, where that activity is appropriate, complementary to the current and future use of that land.
As such, land use zones and planning controls will continue to focus residential and tourist accommodation within our villages, where infrastructure and services are available; while also respecting and maintaining the historic locations and patterns of settlement associated with timber-getting, fishing villages, road, rail and waterway transport routes that have created the rural character of the MidCoast.
Outside of our towns and villages the priority will be to allocate the most appropriate zone to rural living areas, based on the existing characteristics of the site and surrounds, while also considering the long-term development or land use potential of these lands in the context of the MidCoast and its region, by enabling secondary and complementary activities across the rural landscape.
Focused planning for rural village life
The MidCoast's urban town and village centres will accommodate most jobs and services catering to the broader population of residents and visitors. Outside the urban footprint, traditional main streets and smaller rural village centres are the focus of village life.
These smaller settlements evolved to provide a range of services relevant to the scale and make-up of surrounding communities, in an environment that remains characteristically rural. In some locations all that remain are community halls, and while these locations are no longer classified as villages in planning terms, they continue to provide a social hub for community members.
Some of our rural towns and villages already have a clear focus, or 'heart', for social activity, service delivery and community interaction. These areas are important to maintaining connection, wellbeing and identity and can provide an important platform for showcasing rural life, heritage and local produce to new residents and visitors alike.
The availability of not only community spaces but commercial and retail activities that provide for the day-to-day needs and social connections can be strongly influenced by planning controls and this may unintentionally limit the potential for existing or new services to be established in some communities.
Future planning and plan-making that increases the diversity of development opportunities within villages and aims to improve services and infrastructure within these areas, will in turn provide new opportunities, resilience and sustainability for residents to live and work within their community, even in times of challenge and isolation as we have experienced with recent fires, floods and separation due to the pandemic.
It is within our rural towns and villages where the initiatives and ideas of the Urban Zoning In program in 2020 combine with the broader rural landscape initiatives put forward within the Rural Strategy, where the greatest diversity of opportunity may be realised.
By removing unnecessary road-blocks to the co-location of commercial, retail, community, and recreational uses within our rural villages, we can enable renewal and enhancement of our services and facilities, businesses, historic main streets and community life.
Outcome 2.1.1. Focused planning for rural village life
a) Partner with rural communities to investigate demands and opportunities for nonresidential uses that would enhance lifestyle outcomes. b) Partner with rural communities to continue to investigate and identify rural heritage opportunities for the MidCoast. Including the preparation of State funding applications to investigate and identify Aboriginal cultural heritage and rural heritage items that contribute to the rural landscape outside of towns and villages. c) Apply village zone in line with local planning strategies to ensure the sustainability and viability of rural communities d) Allow non-residential developments in rural zones that support rural communities and landowners, subject to the application of local planning benchmarks and guidelines.
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Ensure the village zone is ‘open’ to a broad range of business, industry and tourism activities that provide day-to-day services to residents, surrounding land holders and tourist to the area. Review existing land within the village zone and ensure the locations within this zone can support a broad range of residential, industry, tourism and business activities Ensure rural zones are ‘open’ to a range of complementary small-scale non-residential land uses that provide short-term and temporary accommodation for farm workers and visitors, but do not compromise the viability of rural towns and villages Update the essential services local clause to ensure infrastructure and services are available, to accommodate additional land uses within villages Identify relevant heritage items and areas, based on adopted heritage studies. Integrate review of Local Community Plans into reviews of land use planning processes and controls
DCP provisions
Identify and manage potential land use conflicts with existing residential, commercial and industrial activities in the village. Ensure adequate consideration of infrastructure, services, facilities water security, emergency management and response within villages. Clarify and simplify heritage controls within the DCP, to encourage protection of heritage values while enabling reuse and revitalisation
Enable diverse housing for rural communities
Rural areas of the MidCoast will not be the focus of future population or housing growth, but adjustments to the housing supply in rural areas will still be required.
This recognises that rural communities will continue to change and evolve in response to the aging of the population, movement of people within the region and beyond, and at the time of writing, an influx of people into regional areas, bring new ideas and expectations for housing and accommodation.
Therefore, the long-term adjustments to housing supplies in rural areas across the MidCoast will need to:
• Create housing options that allow seniors in rural areas to age in place, or as close as possible to their exiting social and support networks; • Provide and maintain a suitable level of rental accommodation to cater for those residents who aren’t seeking, or cannot afford to buy a home; and • Provide and manage the use of existing dwellings as short-term holiday rentals, to ensure an overall supply of affordable housing for longer-term residents.
Some of these adjustments will be influenced by National or State-level policy changes or initiatives that are beyond Council's control, but the application of clear and consistent controls at a local level, particularly with consideration of the services and infrastructure that is available, will assist in balancing these needs in the future.
Similarly, while the affordability of housing and mix of tenure available in any location is influenced by a complex range of factors, from the supply of land available for development to the accessibility of finance for developers and home-buyers.
Future planning and plan-making will rely on locally relevant insights to determine what adjustments are required to best suit each rural area's specific needs.
Outcome 2.1.2. Enable diverse housing for rural communities
a) Partner with communities to investigate housing supply, demand and opportunities in rural areas. b) Enable seniors housing in appropriate locations that meet the 'site compatibility' criteria identified in the local planning benchmarks and guidelines. c) Investigate housing supply, demand and management issues associated with shortterm rental accommodation.
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Establish village and rural zones that provide a range of residential development consistent with location constraints and community requirements. Review minimum lot sizes for subdivision and incorporate lot consolidation requirements where necessary Review and maintain local clause that ensures residential accommodation is not permitted on land without a dwelling entitlement Review location and infrastructure constraints to determine permissibility of seniors housing in village and rural zones consistent with the Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability SEPP
DCP provisions
Identify services, infrastructure and locational constraints that may impact upon the provision of seniors housing outside of the Housing for Seniors and Disabled Persons SEPP.
