LOCAL PROVISION SOUTH GIPPSLAND PLANNING SCHEME 21.04 OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES & IMPLEMENTATION 21.04-1 Environment and cultural heritage Overview Environment Since European Settlement, there has been a steady decline in biodiversity in Australia (biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms: the different plants, animals and micro- organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystems they form). South Gippsland Shire has mirrored this trend with only approximately 15% of the native vegetation existing prior to 1750 remaining (with the exception of Wilson’s Promontory Bioregion). Much of the Shire’s remaining native vegetation is now found on private property and roadsides. The protection, enhancement and linking of remnant vegetation on private and public land is an important issue facing the community. Ensuring that sustainable land use and development occurs is also essential to the community’s future standard of living. Areas within the Shire, particularly coastal areas, face increasing environmental pressure from residential development. This pressure is likely to continue in the foreseeable future, given the Shire’s relatively close proximity to Melbourne and natural beauty. The environmental values taken for granted, being fresh air, clean drinking water, forested hills and viable native flora and fauna populations are all intrinsically linked. Land and water degradation issues facing the Shire include soil erosion, pest plants and animals, water quality and salinity. Interaction with the natural environment directly and indirectly impacts on the community’s lifestyle and standard of living. It is important to ensure that the Shire’s natural resources are protected and actively promoted for the benefit of current and future generations. Cultural heritage The South Gippsland Heritage Study 2004 has identified and assessed the rich and diverse cultural heritage of South Gippsland Shire, which is demonstrated by many different places that illustrate the unique history of the South Gippsland region. The heritage places of the Shire include buildings, trees, railways, and public infrastructure. They have one thing in common: These are places worth keeping because they enrich our lives — by helping us understand the past; by contributing to the richness of the present environment; and because we expect them to be of value to future generations.1 Apart from the important cultural and social values of heritage places, they may also provide significant economic benefits by enhancing the appeal of the Shire as a place to live, work and visit. It is therefore important that: • Cultural heritage places are conserved and protected from inappropriate development that would diminish their significance. • Assistance is provided to owners and custodians of these places to enable them to understand and preserve their significance. • Existing community support is fostered, and greater understanding and awareness of the importance of heritage is developed in the broader community. • Cultural heritage becomes an integral part of tourism promotion and marketing in the Shire. If our important heritage is to be preserved and enhanced for the benefit of future generations then it will require careful management as part of the comprehensive Conservation Strategy set out in the South Gippsland Heritage Study 2004 - Element 4 outlines some ways that this will be achieved. 1 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, 1999 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.04 PAGE 1 OF 36 [DATE TO BE INSERTED BY DSE] LOCAL PROVISION SOUTH GIPPSLAND PLANNING SCHEME Element 1 - Biodiversity Objective • To achieve a measurable net gain in the extent and quality of the Shire’s biodiversity. Strategies • Ensure the protection of sites of biological significance on both roadsides and private property via a range of management actions, including the control of pest plants and animals. • Ensure forestry management practices enhance the Shire’s biodiversity values in accordance with the recommendations of the Strzelecki Biodiversity Study and that the Forest Industry compliance with the Code of Forest Practices for Timber Production. • Encourage private landholders to protect remnant vegetation on their land by fencing off areas of native vegetation and excluding stock. Actions for implementation • Develop and implement a Remnant Indigenous Vegetation Protection Policy. • Implement the strategies and actions contained in the South Gippsland Shire Council Environment Strategy, when adopted. Planning scheme response • The Environmental Rural Zone has been applied to Estate no. 3 at Venus Bay to protect and enhance the area’s environmental values. • The Environmental Significance Overlay – Areas of Natural Significance has been applied to areas comprising significant flora and fauna. Element 2 - Urban environment Objective • To continuously improve all aspects of the urban environment. Strategies • Promote the benefits of planting retaining enhance areas of remnant vegetation within urban areas. • Promote the use of passive and active energy efficient systems for residential and commercial/industrial development. Actions for implementation • Develop and apply environmentally responsive standards and controls for residential, commercial and industrial building design. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.04 PAGE 2 OF 36 [DATE TO BE INSERTED BY DSE] LOCAL PROVISION SOUTH GIPPSLAND PLANNING SCHEME • Provide areas of open space for active and passive recreation. • Implement the strategies and actions contained in the South Gippsland Shire Council Environment Strategy, when adopted. Planning scheme response • The Environmental Significance Overlay – Coastal Areas has been applied to the coastal areas to ensure that development is sensitive to the environmental values of the area. Element 3 - Catchment Management Objective • To achieve a measurable improvement in the health of the Shire’s land and water resources. Strategies • Ensure development in water catchments is consistent with the South Gippsland Water - Water Supply Catchment Development Policy 1997. • Ensure development is consistent with the West Gippsland Regional Catchment Management Strategy and associated Action Plans. • Ensure integrated catchment management principles are applied when managing the Shire’s land and water resources. • Promote appropriate land use and management principles and ensure that changes in land use do not lead to a decline in land and water resources. • Support and promote efforts to improve water quality, aquatic and riparian ecosystems (riparian refers to the aquatic ecosystem and the portions of the adjacent terrestrial ecosystem that directly affect or are affected by the aquatic environment. This includes streams, rivers, lakes, bays and their adjacent side channels, floodplain and wetlands). Actions for implementation • Implement and support relevant catchment management strategies and action programs. • Utilise sustainable land use planning principles in accordance with recommendations of the South Gippsland Rural Strategy. • Retain the natural functions of floodplains to store and convey floodwaters. • Ensure that development on floodplains is compatible with the level of flood risk. • Reduce sediment and nutrient inputs into the Shire’s waterways. • Implement the strategies and actions contained in the South Gippsland Shire Council Environment Strategy, when adopted. Planning scheme response • The Environmental Significance Overlay – Water Catchments has been applied to water supply catchments to protect water quality. • The Environmental Significance Overlay – Areas Susceptible to Flooding has been applied to defined floodways. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.04 PAGE 3 OF 36 [DATE TO BE INSERTED BY DSE] LOCAL PROVISION SOUTH GIPPSLAND PLANNING SCHEME • The Land Subject to Inundation Overlay to areas known to be subject to flooding or on the flood fringe. • The Environmental Significance Overlay – Areas Susceptible to Erosion has been applied to protect land subject to erosion. • The Erosion Management Overlay has been applied to areas identified as being susceptible to landslip and erosion. Element 4 - Cultural heritage Objectives To ensure that the cultural heritage of the Shire is demonstrated by a variety of heritage places, which enable the key historic themes in the development of the Shire to be understood and interpreted. To ensure that heritage places in the Shire are used, managed and developed in a way that conserves or reveals the cultural significance of the place. Strategies Providing support, advice and assistance to owners and custodians of heritage places to enable them to conserve and maintain heritage places. Improving community awareness and understanding of the importance of heritage places. Engaging the services of a Heritage Officer, as required, to consider planning applications for heritage places. Supporting the on-going viable use of heritage places as an essential part of their conservation and management. Actions for implementation Undertake an education program to raise the community’s awareness about the value and importance of heritage places. Prepare Conservation Management Plans for heritage places, where this is a specific recommendation of the South Gippsland Heritage Study 2004. Undertake further studies to identify, document and assess places of cultural landscape, archaeological and aboriginal heritage significance. Using the Heritage local policy at Clause 22.07 and the South Gippsland Heritage Study 2004 to guide