6 Nov 08 - Comment to be Sought for Draft Industrial Lands Strategy

The community is to be asked its views on a draft strategy that aims to ensure that future industrial zones in the Coffs Harbour area are sited in the most appropriate locations and appropriate planning zones are applied to existing industrial land.  

The Draft Industrial Lands Strategy, which was prepared by consultants, will be put on display on November 13 until the end of January 2009. A public meeting will also be held during the consultation. It can be viewed at Council's Main Administrative Centre at local libraries and on Council's website. 

"The NSW Department of Planning requires Council to produce a strategy that outlines how we will provide adequate and appropriate industrial lands for the next 30 years as part of our future planning for the whole local government area," Mark Salter, Council's Director of Council's Land Use, Health and Development.   

"This will be contained within a revised Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which is currently being drawn up. Under the current LEP, we were not obliged to separate the types of industrial activity carried out within our industrial zones and this has led to fragmented industrial areas that include all types of businesses. This draft strategy aims to identify the best locations for different business types - for example, furniture showrooms would be best placed close to the Highway within easy reach of residential areas, whereas manufacturing businesses would be better sited within an industrial estate away from homes. 

"It should also be emphasised that the draft strategy is only considering future zoning and existing Council-approved businesses will be allowed to remain in their current locations," he said.  

The strategy includes an assessment of the most appropriate zoning for existing industrial areas, which will be applied in the future. This will result, over time, in the establishment of specific locations for particular types of businesses.  

An investigation has also been carried out into a number of new locations and their suitability as future industrial lands in the coming years. The areas identified as most appropriate for future zoning as industrial lands are: 

• Part of south west Woolgoolga - recommended as suitable for Light Industrial and released over 5-15 years.
• North Boambee Valley - recommended as suitable for General Industrial with some land to be released within five years and the rest released over 15+ years.
• Land at South Bonville (west of the Pacific Highway upgrade) - recommended as suitable for release as industrial lands in the long term (from 2031 onwards) to service the proposed Bonville Village and with no recommended zoning at this stage.

View the Draft Industrial Lands Strategy.