Options available for bushland, says department

Gosford Council had a number of options available to it under the standard planning template when it came to possible zones for bushland reserves, the Department of Planning has told Peninsula News.

"There are a number of options available to council under the standard template," according to a statement issued by the Department.

A departmental practice note suggests the possible use of RE1, E2 and E3 zones, as well as the use of vegetation overlay mapping.

"Of these options, council has chosen the RE1 Public Recreation zone for inclusion in the draft LEP now on exhibition.

"This zone relates to publicly-owned land and enables the use of land for public open space or recreational purposes, which would need to be in accordance with a Plan of Management prepared by the council.

"Council's RE1 zone includes a specific objective in relation to ensuring the long term protection and enhancement of council's Coastal Open Space System."

In authorising the draft plan to be placed on exhibition, the Department also identified a series of further tasks that Gosford Council needed to undertake to bring its plan into line with State planning policy.

"The Department has actively worked with council to help it reach a stage where the draft plan is ready for exhibition.

"To do so, a number of revisions to the draft plan were required.

"One of these tasks is to review the use of environmental zones as soon as practicable, in light of the relevant practice note on this topic, which was issued by the Department subsequent to council lodging the plan with the Department requesting exhibition.

"The Department will be discussing with council the timing of any changes arising from the review of environmental zones.

"There are a number of options available to council to ensure the appropriate identification and protection of the area's important environmental assets.

"It should be noted that a local environmental plan establishes the scope of a landowner's allowable uses on a particular site, whereas Plans of Management serve as an additional layer relating to the management of public lands.

"In this case, as council is the landowner, consistency with its own Plan of Managements when considering future use of these sites would be a matter for the council itself.

"At this stage, it is the community's turn to have their say on the draft LEP, following which council will review submissions and determine whether any amendment is necessary.

"The Department will continue to work with council on implementation of its new LEP including the best way of protecting the values of different types of public land."

The Department's environmental zones practice note suggests the use of E2 or E3 zoning for "bushland reserves with very high conservation value ... where future land use is restricted for conservation reasons".

It also suggests that environmentally-sensitive areas in other zones be managed "through a local provision and associated ('overlay') map".

Website, 9 Apr 2010 Media statement, 9 Apr 2010 Tahria Sheather, NSW Department of Planning