Tourism Planning Taskforce Report - Western Australian Planning ...

Chapter 3Current tourism development framework• provide for tourism resorts in the Perthregion.”The SPS also identifies the need to givegreater emphasis to:• “identifying in regional plans, appropriatetourism facilities (such as resorts) in areaswith tourism potential;• considering, when giving planning approvalto develop tourism facilities, the extent towhich the facility is designed to reflect avisitor experience which complements thenatural environment.”Statements of Planning PolicyStatements of Planning Policy (SPP) areprepared pursuant to the Town Planning andDevelopment Act 1928 and, as the Act states,are “... directed primarily toward broad generalplanning and facilitating the coordination ofplanning throughout the State by all localgovernments”. Current SPPs deal with issuesranging from the provision of industrial buffersto place-specific planning.There are a limited number of SPPs inWestern Australia, none of which dealsspecifically with tourism. However, SPP 7,Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, contains aStatement of Intent in respect to tourism, anda number of specific policy statements.Statement of Intent:A diverse and sustainable tourism base whichcomplements the existing character andlifestyle of the policy area will be facilitated by:• encouraging nature based and culturaltourism opportunities;• focusing coastal tourism in designatednodes;• integrating large scale tourismdevelopments into Principal Centres andother settlements;• promoting low scale tourism developmentthat is consistent with local characteristics;• encouraging innovative tourismdevelopment that responds to the localnatural and cultural environment;• assessing land use proposals for theirimpact on tourism; and• conserving these landscape, cultural andenvironmental values that offer futuretourism potential.”While SPP 7 does not deal in general with theissues the subject of the taskforce, it identifiestourism nodes and specifies that they shouldbe developed for short-stay purposes. Theexception is Smiths Beach, in the Shire ofBusselton, where there is specific provision fora limited permanent residential component.Under SPP 7 tourist accommodation isdefined as:“Establishments which providepredominantly short-term accommodation(i.e. for periods of less than two months) tothe general public. These include hotels,motels and guesthouses with and withoutfacilities; holiday flats, units and houses;and visitor hostels.Caravan parks which provide eitherpredominantly short-term (i.e. for periods ofless than two months) or predominantlylong-term (i.e. for periods of two months ormore) accommodation to the general publicand which provide powered sites forcaravans and toilet, shower and laundryfacilities (ABS, Tourism Accommodation,WA, 8635.5, June 1996).”The preparation of a Land Use Planning forTourism State Planning Policy is recognisedas providing an effective mechanism forimplementation of the outcomes of thetaskforce investigations.Regional Strategies - RegionalStructure PlansRegional strategies interpret the StatePlanning Strategy at a regional level andprovide a basis for co-operative action byState and local government on land use anddevelopment. Regional structure plans providefor the comprehensive planning of a region orsub-region to guide change in the short tomedium term.A review of regional strategies identifies thatthey generally deal with the issue of tourismdevelopment from the perspective offacilitating the achievement of the benefits oftourism for regional economic growth. Othercommon themes are:• encouragement of greater account to betaken for tourism issues in making land usedecisions;20 Tourism Planning Taskforce Report