Directions Paper - Western Australian Planning Commission

Directions Paper on the Integration of NRM and Land Use PlanningNRM land use planning priorities (areas wherethere is high development pressure and highenvironmental values), and collection andinterpretation of environmental information tosupport preparation of local planning strategiesand structure plans. Facilitation of workshopsfor each of the WAPC planning regions haspotential to be an effective way of involving StateNRM agencies, local governments and regionalNRM groups in the identification of priorityNRM issues, addressing information gaps andestablishing direction for how NRM issues canbe further considered through local planning.Peri-urban areas, which are the transitionbetween urban and rural land, provide animportant interface between NRM and land useplanning, due to the significant NRM assets thatthey contain and the diversity of land uses thatthey support. As the change from rural to urbanuse is usually irreversible, and the opportunitiesto achieve NRM outcomes in an urbanisedenvironment are highly constrained, land useplanning in peri-urban areas is very importantfor achieving NRM outcomes. A lack of strategicrural land use planning, increasing pressure forrural residential development, and decreasingwater availability, have been identified as keyNRM land use planning issues in peri urbanareas. Provision of clear policy direction forregional and rural land use planning, andimproving the capacity of local government toundertake rural land use planning at the locallevel, are key factors influencing NRM outcomesin peri-urban areas.The local planning strategy is a strategicdocument which sets out the long term planningdirections for a local government area andprovides the justification and rationale for theproposed zones and provisions in the localplanning scheme. Therefore, the integrationof NRM considerations into the local planningstrategy is vital to ensuring the ongoingconsideration of NRM in future decision making.As long as the local planning strategy clearlydefines expectations for NRM in relationto proposed land use and development,NRM considerations can be translated intostatutory provisions through the local planningscheme and be used to guide decisions onrezoning, subdivision and development withina sustainability framework. Currently, only 24local planning strategies have been endorsedby the WAPC, with the format and content ofthese strategies varying considerably, along withthe extent to which NRM is considered. Factorsmost affecting the quality of local planningstrategies, and the extent to which they canaddress NRM, include the guidance and level ofcoordinated support provided by State agenciesto local governments. The draft guidance on theintegration of NRM into local planning strategiesthat has been prepared by EnviroPlanning,along with greater coordination of State agencysupport for local planning strategies, shouldimprove the capacity of local planning strategiesto address NRM matters.The local planning scheme is the statutoryimplementation arm of a local planning strategy,and is used by local government to controland manage land use and developmentwithin its locality. Local planning schemesguide local government decision makingin relation to applications for developmentapproval, and guide WAPC decision makingin relation to applications for subdivision ofland. Mechanisms within a local planningscheme that may assist achievement of NRMoutcomes include reservation, zoning, specialcontrol areas, general provisions that relate toall zones, and special provisions that relate toparticular development areas. Model schemetext provisions (which are standard legaland administrative provisions that must beincluded in local planning schemes) may not beappropriate for all NRM matters, due to regionaland local differences in natural resources thatrequire specific management approaches. Amore appropriate approach to guiding localgovernments in addressing NRM through localplanning schemes would be by developing anNRM land use planning ‘tool box’ that providesexamples of ‘best practice’ scheme provisions.The State Planning Framework unites the StatePlanning Strategy, State Planning Policies,regional strategies, regional and sub-regionalstructure plans, strategic policies andv