2.1 General Principles for Coastal and Marine Management and Design 2.1 General Principles for Coastal and Marine Management and Design 2.2 General Description of Siting and Design Guidelines sustain | protect | direct | develop 2.1.1 Sustain Future generations will be considered equitably with current users. The coast and marine environment is recognised as a long term public asset which should not be compromised by inappropriate short term decisions or developments. Natural dynamic processes and systems which shape the coastline must be respected, with beneficial uses encouraged and adverse activities avoided or minimised. The use and management of the coast will be designed to work with nature rather than against nature to minimise impacts which occur downstream or off-site, and reduce long term management costs. Risk and irreversible decisions will be dealt with cautiously. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation. The rights of Indigenous people will be respected and observed. page top 2.1.2 Protect The coastal landscape will be protected; especially features of ecological, geological and geomorphological, cultural and historic significance. Parts of the coast will remain largely inaccessible to protect and retain areas with a sense of remoteness and exploration. Aboriginal communities will be involved in the protection and management of Aboriginal sites and the use and development of their history and culture. page top 2.1.3 Direct There will be no net loss of the public land estate along the coast. Community use of foreshore land, buildings and other assets will be managed to return the greatest public benefit. Public access to coastal Crown land will be maintained except where the interests of security, safety or protection of coastal resources predominate. Planning and management of land and sea will be integrated. Local management, community involvement and voluntary participation will be maintained as essential elements of coastal and marine management, conservation and decision making. Accountability for outcomes will be identified. Resources will be targeted to minimise duplication and waste. page top 2.1.4 Develop Commercial, recreation and tourism developments on the coast will be encouraged in suitable locations. User pays and polluter pays principles - in kind or money - will be pursued to equitably spread the cost of long term coastal use and management. Revenue generated from coastal Crown land will be directed to coastal management and development of appropriate infrastructure. Market rent and appropriate rates and taxes will be charged for all commercial use of coastal Crown land to discourage the use of coastal Crown land as a cheap alternative to private land. Complementary activities and multiple-use of suitable sites will be encouraged to avoid developing coastal land which is relatively undisturbed. New buildings and foreshore infrastructure will be set back in line with vulnerability assessments. page top 2.2 General Description of Siting and Design Guidelines In using these guidelines, it is important to recognise certain qualifications such as: There will always be the potential for an exception to emerge to a guideline which is general by it's nature. In using the guidelines it is important to respect the integrity of the relevant Landscape Setting Type and the above Guiding Principles. There may arise situations where guidelines may be in conflict with each other. For example, a historic structure may be inappropriately sited, resulting in key views being blocked or natural coastal processes being adversely affected. Resolution will require a site specific assessment. These guidelines should be used in conjunction with information gained from discussions with the Municipal Council of the area and other authorities listed in Appendix 2. The Council should be consulted prior to commencing design to determine specific requirements relating to the site. The guidelines are not exhaustive in their coverage and are intended as a basis for minimum standards of development. Professional design staff or consultants should take part in the design of all significant structures presented for development permits. In some cases, trade-offs between the requirements of guidelines will be necessary, eg, the choice of materials will be influenced by durability (functional) and appearance (aesthetic). Such trade-offs should only occur where the implications of the final decision are known and accepted by those affected, eg. the use of corrugated iron for visual reasons in an area where this material predominates is acceptable if those using the building accept the responsibility for maintaining and replacing it as it deteriorates in the coastal environment. The applicant for a development permit should consult with the local Municipal Council and/or the NRE regional office to seek its advice on how best to resolve such trade-offs and to determine the likely consequences. Note: If there is an overriding need for greenfield development and one that can be sustained on rigorous environmental planning grounds then only areas of low level impacts should be selected. These can be defined as areas where impacts on the ecology and aesthetics of the area, the coastal character, and other qualities would be minimal.