nsw coastal design guidelines 

The NSW coastline is a world-class environmental asset.  Managing the mutually beneficial co-existence between settlement and the natural environment of the coast is the basis for the NSW Coastal Design Guidelines.

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The project is a review and revision of a 2003 coastal document, in light of changing coastal conditions and evolving attitudes towards these valuable assets.  In the context of increasing uses and growing population pressures, it is clear that, rather than a reiteration of siting and design conventions, the new guidelines require an approach based on understanding essential considerations and developing fundamental principles in response.

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We have established a clear framework for the document, which was reflected in its structure, content and graphic communication.  This clear framework also applied to the processes of characterisation, consolidation, proposition and assessment outlined in the Guidelines.  At the core of the approach, and the document, is a hierarchical set of fundamental considerations, derived from policy objectives, best practice design principles and an understanding of evolving conditions and concerns.

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The resulting Guidelines will frame issues of settlement evolution and the protection and enhancement of coastal assets through clear and direct processes, resulting in a document that empowers proponents, assessors and communities in sound decision-making respecting the legacy of the New South Wales Coastline.