Shoalhaven Beyond 2030

Issues Paper

November 2005

Whitworth Consulting Planning and Policy Consultants Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 – Issues Paper

A vision for the Shoalhaven

“We will work together in the Shoalhaven to foster a safe, attractive place for people to live, work, stay and play; where growth, development and environmental protection are managed to provide a unique and relaxed lifestyle.”

Shoalhaven City Council, Cityplan

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Contents

What is Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 ...... 4 Challenges and opportunities for the Shoalhaven ...... 5 ESD and Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 ...... 6 Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and the Coastal Policy ...... 6 Growth management issues to be addressed by Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 ...... 7 The focused growth development option ...... 11 Actions to support Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 ...... 13 Issues for discussion ...... 13 More information? ...... 14

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What is Shoalhaven Beyond 2030

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 is a strategy to manage and direct the growth of the for the next 25 years. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will be used by Shoalhaven City Council to set the strategic planning and development controls for the Shoalhaven. This Issues Paper is the first step in the production of Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and helps to set out the issues and possible development options that Council will use to prepare its planning and growth management strategies.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 is partly funded by the NSW State Government under the Planning Reform Program. Both Shoalhaven City Council and the NSW Government will use Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 to set the strategic direction for a new Local Environmental Plan to replace the existing 1985 plan.

The process to prepare Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and to review the local environmental plan is shown below.

Timeline

Issues Paper Community and Shoalhaven Community and Draft Local (this document) agency Beyond 2030 agency Environmental consultation (Strategy) consultation Plan

Background Supporting Paper plans and strategies

It is important to realise that this issues paper and the proposed growth management strategy that comes from Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 does not rezone land. A separate process will be required for the rezoning of land which will need to comply with the requirements of State Government legislation. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will set out the strategy used to make the zoning decisions.

This Issues Paper has been based on a more comprehensive Background Report setting out the key assumptions and analyses used to prepare Shoalhaven Beyond 2030.

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Challenges and opportunities for the Shoalhaven

The Shoalhaven is a special place with a unique character that comes from its connection to the expansive environmental values of the South Coast with its protected areas such as Jervis Bay, Morton, Conjola and Murramarang National Parks. It is no surprise that the Shoalhaven will continue to grow as people are attracted to the area to enjoy its lifestyle and environment.

It is critical that Council have its planning in order to accommodate, manage and direct this growth so that the values and character of the City are not lost. A clear sense of how the future growth of the City is to be managed will enable Council to ensure that future growth makes a positive contribution to its people, economy and environment.

Producing a planning strategy for the future of the Shoalhaven requires an understanding of the opportunities and challenges currently facing the City:

 The average person in the City is getting older, which means more care needs to be paid to appropriate housing, health care and transport arrangements

 The City has a far larger Aboriginal Community than other places in NSW, reflecting the strong connection of Aboriginal people to the Shoalhaven and South Coast

 Continued population growth is expected in the City because people continue to find the Shoalhaven to be an attractive place to live. By 2030 it is expected that an extra 40,000 people will live in the City giving a population of approximately 130,000

 Housing in the City is typically suburban in nature and spread over 49 towns and villages. The coastal villages have very high vacancy rates because of absentee owners

 Employment and economic growth are occurring in the City at rates that exceed similar Council areas in NSW. This shows the results of an economic development strategy built around the encouragement of aviation, defence, information technology and tourism jobs as well as the attraction created by the lifestyle values of the City

 While there is strong employment growth, the City also contains a relatively high percentage of people on fixed incomes – reflecting the high retiree population of the City

 The City boasts some of the most significant environmental values in NSW – 68 percent of the Shoalhaven is National Park, State Forest or vacant Crown Land

 As a City with a series of coastal towns and villages the interaction of urban areas with sensitive coastal lakes, lagoons and littoral environments is finely balanced

 While large areas of the City are protected, there are still sensitive environments and the links between these environments that are not protected

 More work can also be done on the need to protect communities from the risks of flooding, acidic soils and bushfire

Council’s challenges come in fostering new urban growth while protecting the sensitive environments and coastal characters of the City’s 49 towns and villages. Council’s opportunities come through the ability to shape, direct and in some cases limit new growth to encourage a stronger economy, a more diverse community and a sustainable environment.

Whitworth Consulting Page 5 Planning and Policy Consultants Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 – Issues Paper ESD and Shoalhaven Beyond 2030

Shoalhaven City Council is committed to the incorporation of Ecologically Sustainable Development (or ESD) into Council’s activities and plans. Like other Council plans and policies Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will be grounded on principles developed under an ESD filter.

ESD is a principle adopted across the world for the management and control of human activities to ensure that current generations do not affect the ability of future generations to enjoy the environment and use resources for their benefit. A key element of ESD is the recognition and preservation of the global ecosystem through the acceptance of the interdependence of all its parts and the protection of biological diversity.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 is based on the following ESD principles: a) A precautionary approach to new development is required – this will ensure that land is not rezoned or developed without understanding the environmental, economic and social implications of the development b) Environmental, economic and social factors are all equally valued in the planning process c) The Shoalhaven’s resources of biological diversity, including its plant life, its animals and ecosystems are recognised and protected as part of the City’s cultural and environmental heritage d) Planning for the 49 towns and villages of the Shoalhaven needs to provide future residents with the same opportunities and choices as today’s residents – development should not limit these options, while planning should work to expand these options.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and the Coastal Policy

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 has been prepared to be consistent with the State Government’s Coastal Policy and supporting documents. A key element of Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will be the integration of estuary management planning with urban structure planning consistent with the Coastal Design Guidelines.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and the subsequent local environmental plan will demonstrate the 9 goals from the Government’s 1997 Coastal Policy, as well as the requirements of State Environmental Planning Policy No. 71 – Coastal Protection.

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Growth management issues to be addressed by Shoalhaven Beyond 2030

To be successful in providing an environmentally sustainable growth management strategy for the City, Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will need to address 7 key issues associated with sustainable growth.

Enough new dwellings are to be produced to meet the expected population growth of the City

Demand for new dwellings comes from a number of sources: population growth, changing household size and composition, the replacement of existing houses and tourism. Taking into account the very high rates of re-development and tourism demands the following dwelling targets have been identified for the strategy.

2001-06 2007- 11 2012-16 2017-21 2022-26 2027-31 New dwellings In centres 198 176 184 185 194 186 Nowra 300 264 176 278 291 279 Other coastal 165 147 153 155 162 155 Tourism Ulladulla- 50 50 50 50 50 50 Jervis Bay 50 50 50 50 50 50 Refurbishment 450 450 450 450 450 450 Total 1213 1137 1163 1168 1197 1170

These targets are based on a number of assumptions, including:

 Population projections prepared by the Transport and Population Data Centre of the Department of Planning

 Declining occupancy rates in houses (eg fewer people living together in the same house as family sizes get smaller)

 30 percent of new houses/dwellings are to be built in re-development of existing centres, 45 percent in the Nowra area as affordable house and land packages and the remaining 25 percent in coastal areas for lifestyle changers and retirees

 Tourism developments will be focused at Jervis Bay (Huskisson/Vincentia) and Ulladulla/Mollymook

In total the number of new lots that will need to be provided in the Nowra area is 8440 and the number of new lots in coastal areas is 4685. There is no need for new lots for development within the centres as these will come from the re-development of existing areas.

The environmental values of the Shoalhaven are to be protected and enhanced

Although there are extensive parts of the City that are covered by National Parks, significant environmental areas and environmental values remain unprotected. Clear gains can be made in negotiations with environmental agencies if Council can demonstrate that its future growth management strategies have provided sufficient recognition and protection for the environmental values of the Shoalhaven.

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Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will need to be accompanied by explicit strategies that look at the planning and development future of the area from the bottom of the City’s creeks, rivers, lakes and lagoons to the top of its catchments. This is known as a catchment based approach to planning using estuary management plans and vegetation mapping to provide baseline data for new plans.

A catchment based approach will ensure that environmental values and potential environmental hazards like flooding, bushfire and acidic soils are avoided in the development of new areas.

Incorporating a biodiversity planning strategy into Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 based on estuary management plans and utilising a catchment based approach will ensure that sensitive environmental communities and the linkages between these communities are protected.

New development respects the character of existing settlements

The coastal character and lifestyle run to the heart of why many people choose to live in the Shoalhaven. Any development that occurs under Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 must reflect the character of settlements within the City.

Future development and planning strategies will need to ensure that the proposed hierarchy of settlements and development issues shown in the table below are incorporated into new plans.

Character Type – Applicable Development issues Town or Village Coastal City - Nowra-Bomaderry  Development must emphasise role as a regional centre  Urban form needs to be managed to connect suburbs  New housing to provide choice, eg low density for new families, medium density for young and the elderly  Range of housing styles to provide for affordable and adaptable housing  Protect CBD from inappropriate development and improve public domain  Halt the drift of retail uses from the CBD to the bulky goods precinct at Coastal Urban Centre - Ulladulla  Development must emphasise the urban form around commercial centres complex (includes , Kings  Public domain improvements vital to focus form of centres Point, ), St Georges Basin  Road and development network to provide appropriate pedestrian linkages to complex (St Georges basin, , commercial centres , ), Vincentia  Environmental and scenic values to be protected Lifestyle Destination –  Development within settlement boundaries must be compatible with existing Heritage and Landscape - building forms and subdivision pattern Kangaroo Valley, Milton, Berry  Outward expansion of settlements must protect and maintain landscape vistas for their visual and cultural heritage values  Minimise adverse impacts in terms of hazards and environmental values  Commercial development to enrich tourism potentials Lifestyle Destination –  Development to focus and strengthen commercial centres Coastal Urban Centre -  Public domain improvements to clearly identify commercial centres , Culburra/Orient  Increased housing choice through diverse housing styles to reduce impact of Point, Huskisson, Sussex Inlet, aging population structure /Mollymook  Tourist development potential exists in settlements through higher densities (In Sussex Inlet flooding issues need to be managed first)  Outward expansion to recognise sensitivity of environment and hazard issues Lifestyle Destination –  Development controls to protect existing character from inappropriate sized Coastal Village - , houses /Beach, Currarong, Myola,  Development controls to protect environmental values and hazards Hyams Beach, /,  Expansion proposals for settlements to address availability/provision of / / Cunjurong, Lake commercial activities and community services Conjola, , Fishermans  Expansion of settlements requires expansion to coastal urban centre type Paradise, Lake Tabourie, , (population and services provision) and not to proceed unless that scale can be Kioloa, Depot Beach, North Durras reached and justified in terms of population need and environmental impact Rural Village - Cambewarra,  Rural villages can provide focus for rural lifestyle residential development Tapitalee, Falls Creek, Bewong,  Expansion of villages to consider protection of surrounding rural landscapes , Wandandian,  Development within villages to protect low density character Whitworth Consulting Page 8 Planning and Policy Consultants Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 – Issues Paper

The Coastal Design Guidelines released by the State Government provide the necessary design cues and planning objectives to ensure that new development does not lose the coastal (or rural) character and rhythm of the 49 towns and villages of the Shoalhaven. A fundamental component of the urban design approach to be advocated in Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 is the engagement of the community in the planning process.

Aboriginal cultural values also need to be respected as influencing the character of the Shoalhaven. Aboriginal culture is strongly shaped by natural features in the landscape. Identifying, respecting and protecting Aboriginal cultural values requires engagement with local Aboriginal communities and the use of cultural heritage mapping techniques.

Social services are more effectively provided over a dispersed settlement

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will identify the centres targeted for further growth, which in turn will allow the providers of education, health care, policing and community services to target upgrades to their facilities and service levels. One of the really important social service areas will be those services related to aged care. Although there are other services which will also need upgrades to meet expected demands.

In recognition of the difficulties in providing these social services across all 49 towns and villages in the City, Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will target growth in key centres like Nowra, Ulladulla and Vincentia. Other centres, in particular Sussex Inlet and Culburra can be used as focal points for outreach services utilising multi-function centres.

Infrastructure expectations and demands are met

Future development of the City must be supported by upgrades to infrastructure within the Shoalhaven.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will identify the need to upgrade the Princes Highway corridor, in particular the flow of traffic in and around Nowra, as well as the intersection of the highway with key connector roads. Upgrading the Princes Highway will not only allow for easier private motor vehicle access to parts of the City, it will also allow Council, the State Government and private bus operators to examine more efficient bus corridors and trunk routes throughout the City. A bus corridor that loops between Nowra, St Georges Basin and Ulladulla will help to increase accessibility and reduce traffic congestion between and into these key centres.

Additional development within the City will need to consider water access and the management of sewerage. Council has sufficient water allocations to accommodate an approximate population of 320,000 people during the holiday peak. As the population grows the ability to accommodate tourists during the peaks will shrink unless additional water allocations are found. Resolving this issue will require a commitment from the State Government to commence a Water Sharing Plan for the .

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New sewerage plants and sewerage upgrades will be required to accommodate new growth. These upgrades can be managed by Shoalhaven Water through its development services planning process. However, retro-fitting a sewerage system to an unsewered area is more difficult to achieve without State Government support. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will need to ensure that new development only occurs in sewered areas, or those areas where upgrades can be funded by the new development.

The local economy continues to expand to supply jobs and prosperity to the City

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will link to Council’s economic development plan to continue to seek jobs growth and a strong local economy. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will support the economic development plan by promoting Nowra as the sub-regional centre of the Illawarra and South Coast regions, as well as promoting and fostering an attractive and liveable residential environment.

By fostering a clear retail hierarchy, improved transport and the renewal of existing centres Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will protect the critical economic backbone of the City. Identification and protection of future employment lands will also support the economic development planning of Council.

The relationships of the City with other places is appropriately managed

Growth and development of the Shoalhaven is closely tied to the fortunes of places like , Wollongong, Canberra and the South Coast. Nowra provides a critical role as the Sub-regional centre of the Illawarra and South Coast, while Canberra has a growing connection to the southern towns and villages of the City. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will ensure that the City’s future is considered in the context of the planning for these other places. This will ensure that issues of importance to the Shoalhaven community, particularly over matters like transport, water supply and economic development, can be articulated in the planning for these other places.

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The focused growth development option

A potential development option for the City has been prepared to help community understanding and discussion about the future growth areas in the Shoalhaven. The focused growth option represents the best balance between environmental protection, economic development and future population demands.

The fundamental approach of the focused growth option is to concentrate new development in areas where economic, environmental and social gains can be realised.

Under the focused growth option new growth will be split between existing centres (30 percent), new land releases in the Nowra district (45 percent) and expansion of selected coastal centres (25 percent). New development

The Nowra district will be targeted for the supply of the bulk of ‘new release’ style housing development. This new development will be in the areas identified by the Nowra-Bomaderry Structure Plan and will boost the economic and services provision role of Nowra. New development areas at Vincentia and Ulladulla are to supplement the Nowra area in providing housing. Investigations for new development areas at Sussex Inlet and the parts of Culburra outside the catchment area of , will be undertaken to ensure that land exists for those seeking a coastal change.

As part of Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 Council will review its subdivision controls to ensure stronger urban design themes and a catchment based approach to water quality and environmental protection is taken. There will also be greater focus on integrating new areas with existing areas, particularly to ensure compatibility of transport, community services and overall settlement character. Renewal of centres

Renewal strategies will be carried out in Nowra, Bomaderry, Ulladulla and Sanctuary Point. These strategies will focus on the creation of a mix of residential and commercial activities that not only support retail and community services, they will also allow for a range of housing types suitable for the elderly or young adults seeking their first housing away from their parents home. New urban areas are also to be built around mixed use centres so that they are interesting, vibrant and a good place for retailers to establish their businesses.

Renewal strategies will also be examined for places like East Nowra and Sanctuary Point where the existing housing can be renewed and integrated with adjoining areas.

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will set out the principles under which these renewal strategies will be carried out. A commitment to fostering good urban design, useable and expansive public domain (or public spaces) and community involvement will all be critical principles. Renewal strategies should also respect existing streetscapes

Whitworth Consulting Page 11 Planning and Policy Consultants Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 – Issues Paper and provide a diversity of housing types that is appropriate to the character of the area. Tourism centres

Narrawallee/Mollymook and Huskisson are to be targeted as tourist centres and higher densities within the existing urban boundaries are to be encouraged through new place-based urban design controls. Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 will provide the support for the development of new controls in these areas to allow development up to 4 storeys provided they are appropriate within the landscape and are of a high quality design. Protecting the character of existing settlements

Under Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 the remaining coastal and rural villages are to stay at their existing scale. Planning controls will protect the outward expansion of these places, help to identify specific controls that protect their character and specify that new development, in particular the rebuilding or refurbishment of houses, is to be in keeping with the coastal or rural character of those localities.

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Actions to support Shoalhaven Beyond 2030

Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 is an ambitious planning strategy that will require the Council, and in some cases the State Government, to undertake a number of plans and strategies. In selected development or renewal areas, Council may allow development proponents to carry out the more detailed planning work, provided that the work meets the expectations of Shoalhaven Beyond 2030.

The additional plans and strategies needed to support Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 and the subsequent new local environmental plan include:

 A biodiversity planning strategy

 A cultural heritage mapping exercise in partnership with the local Aboriginal community

 A dwelling release program to monitor dwelling construction, land release and land supply

 New subdivision controls incorporating urban design principles and water sensitive urban design standards

 The review and incorporation of existing estuary management and environmental hazard plans

 The State Government needs to complete a Water Sharing Plan for the Shoalhaven River based on the population expectations in this Issues Paper

 Structure Plans for new release areas, for example the Nowra-Bomaderry Structure Plan, will need to be completed

 Place-based urban design and public domain strategies for renewal and tourism areas will need to be completed

 Development controls will need to be created that address the development issues for the towns and villages of the City

 A revised section 94 plan will be required to support the new growth and identify means to provide additional opens space in renewal areas

 Integrated service delivery plans will need to be prepared with Government agencies, that use the growth scenarios in Shoalhaven Beyond 2030 to plan for services provision and to explore the co-location of facilities for out-reach services

 Continued lobbying by the Council for road upgrades and community infrastructure to support the current and future population of the City.

Issues for discussion

Community involvement will be a key element in the success of Shoalhaven Beyond 2030. To be involved in the process of developing a sustainable growth management strategy for the City here are some potential discussion points:

1) Is an additional population of 40,000 people appropriate? Should the State Government’s population projections for the Shoalhaven be questioned?

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2) Are the dwelling targets appropriate in terms of the numbers of new houses needed and the location of these new houses?

3) Are the areas identified for growth or renewal appropriate?

4) Are the environmental linkages proposed in the development option enough?

5) Will the proposed hierarchy of settlements and list of development issues be enough to produce new planning controls for coastal and rural villages and towns?

6) Can better service provision be achieved by focusing growth on centres that already have services? Can access to these places be improved through better public transport?

More information?

Shoalhaven City Council Planning Services Group ……

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