Practical Application of Western Australian Coastal Policy – a Guide by Case Studies

In July 2013 the Western Australian Planning Commission gazetted the revised State Planning Policy No 2.6 – State Coastal Planning Policy (SPP2.6). The goal of the policy is to provide guidance on the long term sustainable use of WA’s coast. It has adopted a Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaption Planning (CHRMAP) approach where adaption planning is preferably based on a hierarchy
of four broad adaption categories: Avoid – Retreat – Accommodate – Protect.
The planning of new coastal developments requires allowance for a coastal foreshore reserve to accommodate coastal processes; effectively providing a buffer to mitigate the risk of coastal hazards over the planning timeframe. Guidelines for the calculation of coastal processes are provided in
Schedule 1 of SPP2.6. Where a new development is required to be within the calculated foreshore reserve, steps to reduce the risk with mitigation measures are also provided.
This paper demonstrates the practical application of the revised SPP2.6 to coastal development around Western Australia through a series of case studies: Broome, Point Samson and Yanchep. We present a flow chart of key studies, plans and inputs that establish the context for the CHRMAP process and identify where each of these fits in the policy context. Each case study has a unique
context; presented together they provide local managers with a comprehensive understanding on how to apply the new planning process to future coastal developments.