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Figure 9. Destination Barrington Coast, statistics from December 2020
The contribution of tourism development to the MidCoast economy is well-recognised at State, Regional and Local levels. Several plans and strategies recently endorsed by the State Government direct Council to better facilitate the growth of this industry.
Tourism development outcomes are however, most effectively supported through initiatives undertaken outside the development assessment process e.g. education, business support, assistance with funding, as well as through improved infrastructure and asset management which ensures a good visitor experience.
Figure 9. Destination Barrington Coast, statistics from December 202055
However, to achieve growth in this industry across the MidCoast, planning controls will also need to allow for new tourism-related development in villages and across the rural landscape in a manner that is compatible with other community needs and expectations including residential housing, environmental protection and agricultural productivity.
Most State-level guidelines for planning controls to support tourism are over ten years old and recognised as unfit for purpose. This is reflected by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s recent exhibition of an Explanation of Intended Effect for Proposed Amendments to Agriculture, which focussed on growing agri-business and agri-tourism industries.
The scale of the MidCoast can pose challenges to ensuring people access and use rural land, waterways and other natural areas safely. This can become an acute concern in locations that are popular for recreation, but do not yet have the infrastructure that residents or visitors expect.
Concerns about telecommunications 'black spots', personal injury, potential trespass, or property damage normally fall outside development approvals processes, but can be addressed through community awareness, compliance and enforcement initiatives. Working with communities to address these concerns may also assist with identifying requirements for new or improved infrastructure and access arrangements.
Based on tourism and visitation trends being experienced across the MidCoast therefore, Council’s priority is to establish a planning and assessment framework that more effectively supports sustainable growth in the tourism industry and considers the opportunities that may be created by future changes to State planning instruments.
55 Item-13-Attachment-A-Destination-Barrington-Coast-Update.pdf
By establishing clear and consistent planning framework that enables a diverse range of tourist and visitor accommodation, events and facilities, Council can also partner with communities and land owners to ensure tourist services and facilities are effectively managed for long-term sustainability.
A key principle for this will be that in all rural and environmental zones, tourist and visitor accommodation, events and facilities will only be permitted where there is an existing dwelling on the site, that is occupied by managers of the facility or event. This ensures that any tourist and visitors unfamiliar with the area and property, can be provided with a great visitor experience during our peak seasons, and a safe visitor experience, even during our worst weather events.
Provide opportunities for visitor accommodation
The rural character of the MidCoast is already a strong drawcard for visitors, and demand for overnight accommodation in rural areas is expected increase in coming years.
Through its Destination Management Plan, Council recently committed to enabling more opportunities for people to not only stay overnight but increase the length of their visit in rural areas. Enabling this will require updated planning controls to provide a range of accommodation types in rural villages and areas, particularly in relation to:
• Accommodation provided in towns and villages in hotels, motels, caravan parks, converted historic buildings and community facilities such as showgrounds; • Accommodation provided in people's homes and on private properties, such as short term holiday accommodation or bed and breakfast accommodation within the home; • Accommodation provided separate from the home on a rural property, including cabins, villas, farm-stays and camp sites; • A limited number of standalone facilities with permanent on-site management, such as eco-tourist resorts, holiday parks, some of which may offer caravan and camp sites; and • Other types of visitor accommodation, such as primitive camping with limited amenities and facilities.
Land use and development planning processes cannot, on their own, encourage investment in tourist and visitor accommodation. However, future planning and planmaking can ensure suitable approval pathways are available to enable new projects in suitable locations.
Outcome 2.2.1. Provide opportunities for visitor accommodation
a) Continue participate in the State process of diversifying the definitions for tourist and visitor accommodation facilities to ensure flexibility and diversity through the assessment processes. b) Partner with communities to investigate tourist and visitor accommodation, demand and supply in rural towns and villages. c) Enable caravan parks in villages that meet the 'site compatibility' criteria identified in the local planning benchmarks and guidelines. d) Update Planning Proposal policy and application guidelines to provide additional guidance on services, infrastructure and locational constraints to caravan park proposals to enable consistent assessment outcomes
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Provide for a diverse mix of tourist and visitor accommodation within the village zone. Prohibit caravan parks in rural and environmental zones to ensure these facilities are not transitioned into a higher density residential manufactured home estate in locations where there may be limited access to community services and facilities. Existing caravan parks within rural zones are to be included in a recreation zone and caravan parks within environmental zones are to remain in the most appropriate environmental zone. Camping grounds and primitive camping sites should be the predominant form of temporary visitor accommodation across the rural landscape, outside towns and villages. Maintain a local clause that ensures tourist and visitor accommodation, camping grounds, eco-tourist facilities and the like are not permitted on land without a dwelling entitlement Update the essential services local clause to ensure infrastructure and services are available to accommodate additional occupancy of tourist and visitor accommodation
DCP provisions
Provide additional guidance on services, infrastructure, emergency management and locational constraints for tourist and visitor accommodation, to enable consistent assessment outcomes in villages and across the rural landscape. Provide objectives and controls to ensure tourist and visitor accommodation remains ‘ancillary’ to the primary agricultural or environmental purpose of the site and surrounds properties. Controls may include minimum standards for access, parking, hours of operation, limits to the size of facilities and number of visitors
Provide opportunities for visitor experiences
The rural character of the MidCoast is already a strong drawcard for visitors, and demand for unique nature-based, outdoor, adventure, cultural and agricultural experience-based tourism is expected increase in coming years.
Through its Destination Management Plan, Council recently committed to enabling additional tourist experiences, events and opportunities that will in turn encourage visitors to stay longer and return to the MidCoast as their preferred holiday destination.
Enabling this will require updated planning controls to provide for a range of events, paddock-to-plate food trails, cultural tourism, outdoor adventure and on-farm experiences across our towns, villages and rural landscapes.
A key process will be Council’s participation in the State government review of land use definitions and planning controls that allow for a diverse range of activities, in appropriate locations in a safe and sustainable manner.
Tourism development outcomes are however, most effectively supported through initiatives undertaken outside the development assessment process e.g. education, business support, assistance with funding, as well as through improved infrastructure and asset management which ensures a good visitor experience.
In this, Council can focus on providing additional guidance on approval pathways, key infrastructure, services and emergency management requirements so that operators can provide new visitor experiences in suitable locations across the MidCoast.
Outcome 2.2.2. Provide opportunities for visitor experiences
a) Continue participate in the State process of diversifying the definitions for tourist and visitor events, facilities and experiences to ensure flexibility and diversity through the assessment processes. b) Partner with communities to investigate tourist and visitor services, facilities and events demand and supply in villages and across the rural landscape. c) Review and update planning instruments to enable public access to natural areas and cultural landscapes is balanced with any biodiversity conservation and cultural significance of the site and location.
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Provide for a diverse mix of tourist and visitor services, facilities and events within the village, rural and environmental zones. Maintain a local clause that ensures tourist and visitor services, facilities and events and the like are not permitted on land without a dwelling entitlement Update the essential services local clause to ensure infrastructure and services are available to accommodate additional visitation associated with tourist and visitor services, facilities and events.
DCP provisions
Provide additional guidance on services, infrastructure, emergency management and locational constraints for tourist and visitor services, facilities and events, to enable consistent assessment outcomes in villages and across the rural landscape. Provide objectives and controls to ensure tourist and visitor services, facilities and events remain ‘ancillary’ to the primary agricultural or environmental purpose of the site and surrounds properties. Controls may include minimum standards for access, parking, hours of operation, limits to the size of facilities and number of visitors
The MidCoast is subject to a range of natural disasters, including flooding, bushfires, coastal inundation and recession, storms, and drought. While the occurrence and impacts of these are highly variable, the effects of climate change are expected to lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of events in all areas in the future.
In the event of a natural disaster or medical emergency, rural areas tend to rely more heavily on volunteer response teams, and the remoteness of some properties may lead to longer response times.
In all situations, the effectiveness of the response relies on the availability and reliability of telecommunications services and access infrastructure, which can pose a problem in many rural areas of the MidCoast.
In locations where mobile phone services are either unreliable or not available, the appeal of the rural landscape, which allows people to disconnect whilst on holiday, may also put people at risk of not being able to access emergency services if an event arises.
Likewise, as we have recently experienced during the fires of 2019-20 and floods of 2020-21, our extensive road network provides both an opportunity to access more remote locations of our region, but a challenge when this infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.
During the bushfires, the combination of limited telecommunications and isolation during an extreme event placed unreasonable pressure both on our community services and individual land owners. Providing safe and effective emergency management and evacuation for tourists and visitors to our region only adds to these pressures.
Responsibilities to plan for and provide a response to a natural disaster or an emergency rest with several State agencies such as the NSW Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Ambulance and Police in partnership with Council. These services are coordinated through Regional Emergency Management Plans, which identify the risks and response measures required to protect life, property and other assets.
Future land use and development planning must therefore be integrated with planning for disasters and emergencies to ensure decisions do not place people or property in harm's way and to ensure new developments are supported by effective emergency response measures.
Outcome 2.2.3. Risk management planning for disasters and emergencies
b) Prepare a strategic emergency risk management framework with State & Regional Agencies for rezoning and development applications and incorporate this into the local planning benchmarks and guidelines. a) Partner with relevant State agencies to identify when a higher level of assessment is required for tourist accommodation, facilities and events to ensure emergency management is considered
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Include a local clause requiring consideration of emergency management planning for subdivision and development on rural and environmental zoned land. Maintain a local clause that ensures tourist and visitor accommodation, services, facilities and events and the like are not permitted on land without a dwelling entitlement and permanent on-site management. Update the essential services local clause to ensure infrastructure and services are available in an emergency commensurate with the additional visitation and occupancy associated with tourist and visitor accommodation, services, facilities and events.
DCP provisions
Provide additional guidance on services, infrastructure, emergency management and locational constraints that is consistent with State agency requirements for services and infrastructure including telecommunications, evacuation routes, and refuge. Review the Planning Proposal policy and application requirements to ensure consideration of services, infrastructure and locational constraints as they relate to emergency management planning
Connecting with natural and culturally relevant places is important to people’s health and wellbeing.
The MidCoast area is rich in its natural diversity, with unique landforms and landscape areas of State, National and International significance. Preserving these landscapes, cultural connections and enhancing people’s ability to visually and physically experience these areas, will ensure the MidCoast remains a welcoming place for people choosing to live, visit or invest.
Council has therefore made a commitment to the ongoing management and protection of these physical environments as well as the cultural significance these areas hold to the people of the MidCoast. By preserving our environmentally significant landscapes and sensitive areas, the region also benefits socially and economically, by maintaining its unique identity as a place of outstanding natural beauty.
The challenges associated with identifying the scenic qualities and visual assessment criteria required to provide a clear and consistent assessment framework have resulted in Council taking an alternative approach, identifying and protecting key natural features such as steep lands and significant waterbodies, which contribute to the value of our rural and natural settings.
The cultural relevance of the landscape to local communities, both past and present is significant and recognises the value of the personal connections people maintain with natural surroundings, with an inherent emphasis on areas significant to Aboriginal cultural heritage.
There are new opportunities available to Council and Local Aboriginal Land Councils to investigate opportunities made available by the State Environmental Planning Policy (Aboriginal Land) 2019, to implement for example, cultural heritage orientated and appropriate “game changer” projects nominated within the MidCoast Tourism Destination Plan.
Visual landscapes differ from ecological landscapes because, in addition to vegetation, they also encompass the built and cultural characteristics of an area.
Identifying the broad visual landscapes that make up the MidCoast and describing their unique characteristics as a basis for guiding or assessing development proposals, will strengthen the ability of the planning process to maintain a strong sense of place.
Clear and definable features also exist that have remarkable characteristics associated with scenic qualities or cultural significance. These areas may be unique at a national or regional level or may be unique to the MidCoast. Identifying these features will allow a higher level of protection to be afforded through the planning process.
In the long-term, recognising the importance of visual connectivity to natural features and landscapes is critical. These connections allow people to orient themselves, adds to their positive experience and impression of an area, and offers a sense of familiarity and attachment with a place. Identifying where our scenic landscapes and vistas are, will allow development to be managed in a manner that preserves interesting and attractive view corridors.
Many parts of the rural landscape are also highly visible from transitional places, where people may not stop to visit, but provide a sense of connection to a place, such as vantage points along the highway or scenic drives, or from popular stop-over destinations and elevated lookouts. Identifying these visually-sensitive areas will also allow land uses and associated development, to be carefully managed to ensure they are positive influences on the broader scenic qualities of the landscape rather than detractors.
Finally, locations such as village arrival points, river crossings and major transport intersections also strongly contribute to people’s impression of the MidCoast's rural areas. Identifying these visual gateways as part of our broader scenic and cultural landscape will allow development and activities within these to be carefully managed to provide a safe, welcoming and positive experience that is definitively rural and unique to the MidCoast.
Outcome 2.3.1. Identify and maintain rural landscape characteristics
a) Seek State funding to investigate and develop a common understanding of rural landscape characteristics including their heritage and scenic values.
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Include local clauses and mapping requiring consideration and protection of unique landscape features such as steep land and limestone formations (karsts). Include local clauses requiring consideration and protection of vegetated corridors and riparian lands. Introduce scenic protection mapping and local clause based on adopted study recommendations.
Protect and maintain Aboriginal cultural heritage
Aboriginal cultural heritage extends beyond the legal definition of objects, artefacts and places. It also encompasses the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills that are reflected in the landscape.
The planning process can protect Aboriginal cultural heritage by preserving the sites and tangible landscape elements that are of significance and ensuring Aboriginal people's traditional connections to country is maintained through the appropriate development, management and ongoing use of land.
The opportunities provided by recent NSW planning reforms including the Aboriginal Lands SEPP, are to be examined and collaboration between Council, Local Aboriginal Land Councils, community representatives and other State agencies and stakeholders undertaken to realise economic, cultural and social benefits across the MidCoast.
Outcome 2.3.2. Protect and maintain Aboriginal cultural heritage
a) Collaborate with local Aboriginal communities and Traditional Owners to investigate and identify a common understanding of how to proactively protect Aboriginal cultural heritage and Native Title rights through the local planning process. b) Investigate opportunities to utilise provisions of State Environmental Planning Policy (Aboriginal Land) 2019 in partnership with local Aboriginal communities and Traditional Owners and relevant State agency partners
Local Plan Recommendations LEP provisions
Identify Aboriginal cultural heritage sites and areas where appropriate based on adopted study recommendations, require consideration and protection through the planning process. Review land owned by Local Aboriginal Land Councils and determine locations where provisions of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Aboriginal Land) 2019 may facilitate a development delivery plan, State or regionally significant development.
