QLD Coastal Plan
Queensland’s planning, policy and legislative environment has changed significantly since the State Coastal Management Plan was released in 2001. Since then, pressure on the coastal zone continues to build and year after year a greater percentage of the population is at risk from increasing coastal hazards as a result of climate change.
The Queensland Coastal Plan (coastal plan) has been developed in response to a statutory review of the existing State Coastal Management Plan in 2008–09 and in consideration of submissions in response to the Draft Queensland Coastal Plan, released in August 2009. The coastal plan will commence in mid-2011.
The coastal plan makes a significant shift from the previous approach taken by its predecessor, the State Coastal Management Plan. The plan has been streamlined. Its scope has been significantly reduced and various policies are now dealt with by other regulatory instruments (such as heritage, water quality, mining and fishing). This ensures focus on core coastal resource matters including development in coastal hazard areas; conservation of coastal biodiversity; coastal-dependent development; dredging and reclamation; and public access, scenic amenity and settlement patterns in the coastal zone.
The coastal plan will apply to the coastal zone as indicated by maps that accompany the plan. The plan has two parts: the State Policy for Coastal Management, containing policies and guidance for coastal land managers on managing and maintaining coastal land; and the State Planning Policy for Coastal Protection, for planning and assessment decisions made under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.
The government has approved the Queensland Coastal Plan (coastal plan) to protect the coastal zone and manage these impacts, ensuring that coastal protection policies remain effective in light of current and emerging threats.
To register for this event navigate to the Qld Water Panel page and follow the links.
Presenter: Louise Smyth, Department of Environment and Resource Management
Louise Smyth is the Manager of the Coastal Planning Unit within the Natural Resources and Environment Division of DERM and has over 10 years experience in environmental planning. Louise has previously worked on other significant government policy initiatives such as the Queensland Forestry Agreement, the introduction of tree clearing laws and the Queensland Koala Plan.
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