Coastal Zone Management Planning Processes

Coastline Management Plans - North Harbour and Manly Cove

Council has elected to develop Coastal Management Plans (CMPs) for coastal and harbour foreshores in response to legislative requirements and to address community issues in accordance with current best management practice. 

The Coastline Management Plans are intended to be strategic plans with a long-term time frame of 10-20 years (with appropriate revisions). Implementation of the Plan will involve considerable expenditure and therefore implementation must have regard to resource availability and the priorities of Council and other agencies identified in the Action Plan. 

The CMP's are developed in response to legislative requirements and community issues in accordance with current best practice for the management of coastal and estuary foreshores. Coastline Management Plans: 

• Provide a sustainable long-term management strategy for the Manly Cove and Fairlight areas; 
• Determine how limited resources can be best utilised to balance environmental conservation and the enjoyment of the areas by user groups; 
• Develop strategies to fit into the conservation of the natural environment to benefit current and future generations; 
• Include a landscape masterplan for Reserves within the study areas, accompanied by appropriate and sustainable management actions.In developing the Manly Cove and Fairlight Coastline Management Plan's a number of diverse considerations must be taken into account, including:  
  • implications of coastal planning policy and guidelines and local, regional and State planning instruments;
  • the type and nature of coastline hazards, including risk and potential damage to coastal developments and amenity (addressed through CHDS);
  • aesthetic, recreational and ecological values of the particular section of the coastline under consideration (through community and stakeholder consultation);
  • social factors, including the needs and desires of the community, the social disruption and other intangible costs of potential damage, and the physical and psychological effects of damage (through community and Stakeholder consultation); 
  • long term considerations of climate change (projections identified through CHDS), and;
  • an economic analysis of proposed or existing development, including expected costs and benefits to both the public and private sectors, based on options to develop, redevelop or leave undeveloped an area of the coast. 

Steering Committees 

Manly Council is not responsible for all the areas and issues identified in the Coastline Management Plans. As a consequence, implementation of the recommendations contained in the Plans will rely heavily on an integrated approach by the relevant key stakeholder agencies, which have been, and will continue to be, involved in the development of the plans. While some of the recommendations may identify other agencies as responsible for implementation, Manly Council will be responsible for encouraging and facilitating the Plans implementation and will oversee the implementation. 

The Manly Coastline Committee and Manly Harbour Foreshores Management Committee, under the stewardship of Manly Council, were established  to guide the preparation of the Manly’s Coastal Management Plans. The Committees meet bi-monthly and at strategic milestones throughout the development of the Plan and provided information as requested by Council's project manager. 

The specific roles of the Committee are to: 

• Collectively ensure that the CMPs project brief outcomes;
• Act individually as an initial point of contact and internal reference within respective organisations and agencies;
• Promote Coastline Management Planning at all levels within respective organisations and agencies to maximise relevant input, participation, eventual endorsement and implementation;
• Facilitate timely exchange of necessary project information to enable project outcomes and milestones to be achieved;
• Contribute or facilitate the provision of specific knowledge and advice in areas of expertise relevant to the project;
• Ensure the integration of current policies, objectives and strategies of relevant organisations and agencies in the Manly Coastline Management Plans;
• Provide strategic direction to the project manager or consultant employed to prepare Coastline Management Plans; and
• To the fullest extent possible ensure the CMP complements concurrent planning for adjacent areas including the Aquatic Reserve’s and regional planning as gazetted by relevant state government agencies. 

The Committee comprises representatives from a variety of community organisations, Councils Scientific Advisory Panel, local businesses and government agencies.