Incorporating Coastal Hazard Assessment Findings into Victorian Planning Schemes

Mr Leigh Dennis1, Mr John  Keaney, Mr Michael Kirsch

1City Of Greater Geelong, Geelong, Australia

Abstract

The Future Coasts program was initiated by the Victorian Government to assist planning for climate change related sea level rise and coastal hazards. The program included the preparation of four pilot Local Coastal Hazard Assessments (LCHAs), including the Bellarine Peninsula – Corio Bay LCHA.

The Geelong – Queenscliffe Coastal Adaptation Program (Our Coast) evolved out of the Future Coasts program with a key outcome from this being the incorporation of the findings from the Bellarine – Corio Bay LCHA into local planning processes.  This specifically required an investigation into ways to include the findings from the LCHA into the Greater Geelong and Queenscliffe planning schemes and provide a framework of actions to enable this.

Initially a review was conducted of national, interstate and Victorian Planning Provisions.  This was done in conjunction with a review of the current planning schemes for the two municipalities to assess the planning provisions currently being used to address  marine inundation of coastal areas.   The next stage was to engage with planning staff from both municipalities, the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to identify and  develop an agreed approach.   A range of options were identified and provided to the two municipalities.

What happened next provides an insight into the issues that are faced by municipalities when meeting their responsibilities in relation to this issue through their municipal planning processes.

Biography

Coastal Program Manager with extensive experience in the environment and natural resource management sectors.  Currently Manager of the Geelong – Queenscliffe Coastal Adaptation Program (Our Coast).