Coastal Management and Planning
Our beaches and coastal areas are part of our Novocastrian lifestyle and identity, which is why it's vital we plan for their future.
Our coastline is a sensitive natural environment that is exposed to natural processes, population growth, coastal lifestyles, and coastal hazards which create complex challenges. We are responsible for planning for and managing these challenges.
We're currently developing new coastal management programs (CMPs) to help guide the ongoing management of our spectacular coastline and estuarine environments, after becoming the first Council in NSW to develop a certified CMP, with the 2020 Stockton CMP.
CMPs are a requirement within the NSW Government's Coastal Management Framework and an important planning tool to ensure all use and development of the coastal environment occurs in an ecologically sustainable way, while balancing the diverse needs of our community.
A CMP sets the long-term strategy for the coordinated management of the coast, that considers:
- The need to protect and enhance coastal environments
- Managing the risk of coastal hazards to people and property, while considering the effects of climate change
- Aboriginal values and uses of the coastal zone
- The benefits of economic growth, development, and public access to the coastal zone
The process for developing a CMP includes the following five stages:
We're currently planning for the future of Newcastle's coastal zone by developing CMPs for:
- Stockton - an Extended CMP that builds on the 2020 Stockton CMP currently in place
- Nobbys Beach to Glenrock Lagoon (Southern Beaches)
- Hunter Estuary - led by Maitland City Council in collaboration with neighbouring local government areas
Find out more about our current CMPs, and those currently in development:
