Coastal residents, councils and developers have been given three months to have their say before the Baird government introduces the biggest shake-up in maritime planning in more than three decades.
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On Friday, Planning Minister Rob Stokes released for consultation a draft bill for a new Coastal Management Act, changes to a management manual for councils and proposals to repeal three existing policies and replace them with a new State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).
"Since the original Coastal Protection Act was enacted in 1979 our understanding of coastal processes has improved dramatically," Mr Stokes said. "We know our coastline is not a fixed object, but a dynamic, ever-changing environment with a range of natural processes."
Climate change is one element that residents will need to take into account, with sea level changes, storm cells and even changes to swell directions likely to have varying impacts along the 2000-plus kilometres of the state's coast.
"Changes to climate are likely to intensify our existing hazards," Mr Stokes told Fairfax Media, adding that while many of the problem areas are known, other new ones may emerge.
Uncertainty over planning rules and councils' potential exposure to future legal action has hindered development in some coastal areas and affected property prices. While overall sea levels are projected to rise perhaps by half a metre or more over the century because of global warming, the localised impacts are likely to vary according to a range of factors including whether the areas are dominated by rocky headlands or sand dunes.
Councils will be given greater flexibility "to test their plans to make sure they are peer-reviewed and based on up-to-date science", he said.
The draft bill will take into account the diversity of issues affecting four district areas such as wetlands and littoral rainforests, regions known to be vulnerable, coastal waters such as lagoons, and areas where development exists or is likely to occur.
The new planning will also take into account marine zones just offshore where sediment shifts can have a big impact on nearby coastal areas.
The proposal will give councils the ability to undertake detailed research and analysis to update maps for particular areas, the government said in one of its accompanying reports.
"The proposed SEPP will also include a provision that the Office of Environment and Heritage will review maps for the Coastal Vulnerability Area at least every 10 years to ensure that the mapping accommodates new and emerging scientific information on the dynamics of the coast," the report said.
