Tourism Planning Taskforce Report - Western Australian Planning ...

Chapter 8Taskforce recommendationsclassification of land, the local governmentshall prepare a local planning strategy forapproval by the WAPC.Under Regulation 12A, a local planningstrategy shall —“(a) set out the long-term planning directionsfor the local government;(b) apply State and regional planningpolicies; and(c) provide the rationale for the zones andother provisions of the Scheme.”It is evident to the taskforce that few existingtown planning schemes in Western Australiamake specific or adequate provision fortourism uses and facilities. It also is evidentthat neither the Model Scheme Text or thePlanning Schemes Manual - Western AustraliaGuidance on the Format of local governmentPlanning Strategies make adequate referenceto, or provide sufficient guidance for tourismdevelopment to be dealt with adequately inschemes or local planning strategies.The current approach to tourism planningthroughout the State is highly variable andmay reflect this lack of policy guidance. Incontrast, there is a need for and widespreadinterest in tourism as an existing or potentialcontributor to the economies of most localgovernment areas and the State as a whole.The taskforce sees this interest as positiveand requiring more formal recognition in theland use planning process. It also is evidentthat in some instances, there is a lack ofappreciation of the potential negativeimplications associated with poorly developedand/or managed projects. Such projects canaffect tourism industry sustainability.In preparing or reviewing their town planningscheme(s), each local government shouldprepare a tourism component to the localplanning strategy that specifically addressesthe needs of tourism in its area. Where a localgovernment has prepared or decides toprepare a local tourism planning strategy thatdeals adequately with land use planning fortourism, the relevant conclusions andrecommendations may form the requiredcomponent of the local planning strategy. Thestrategy outcomes then should be reflected intheir planning scheme with specific zones andprovisions, as appropriate. The WAPC(through DPI) and Tourism WA will be requiredto assist local government in this process.The primary objectives in undertaking thetourism component of the local planningstrategy will be to identify:• strategic tourism sites, which are thosesites that are critical to the future growthand community benefit of tourism in anarea and the State, and wheredevelopment shall be for tourism purposesonly;• strategic tourism locations, which are thoseareas identified as having future tourismpotential and where further planning isrequired for the identification of specifictourism sites and other uses;• non-strategic tourism sites, which are thosesites that have an important tourismfunction but where their retention fortourism only purposes is not in all casescritical;• sites for the development of integratedtourist-resorts;• those sites that have a general zoning thatprovides for the development of touristaccommodation, such as Town Centre andsome Rural zones, and the role suchzonings have in accommodating futuretourism demand; and• those sites zoned for tourism purposes butno longer having an existing or potentialtourism function, and where rezoning of thewhole or part of the site for an alternativeuse is appropriate.This process also will need to consider theuse of government-managed or owned landfor tourism purposes, particularly in retainingand providing for a variety of low-cost touristaccommodation facilities and caravanparks/camping grounds. This should includethat land managed by the Department ofConservation and Land Management (CALM),DPI, LandCorp, State trading enterprises andlocal government.The importance of tourism as an industrysector varies considerably across the 144local governments in the State, as does theimportance of other economic functions. Thisis recognised in respect to the preparation oflocal planning strategies generally, and thesame flexibility is provided in respect to theTourism Planning Taskforce Report65