Place plans

A place making framework

City of Coffs Harbour has adopted a place making framework to be implemented around our Local Government Area (LGA). This framework aims to enhance liveability, create opportunities for economic prosperity and embrace design excellence. Our vision is to create places that promote people's health, happiness and economic wellbeing.

A 'place hierarchy' has been developed to ensure that plans are developed at various scales and in various locations around our LGA. This hierarchy breaks the LGA down into precincts, places and hubs, and allows for the development of place plans, which consist of non-statutory masterplans and place manuals; and statutory plans of management for these various locations.

"It takes a place to create a community and a community to create a place" (Project for Public Spaces, 2018). We will use industry recognised principles and placemaking criteria to develop our place manuals; and will develop our statutory plans of management in accordance with legislative requirements.

Plans of Management - our responsibilities 

City of Coffs Harbour is the appointed land manager for over 50 Crown reserves across the Coffs Harbour LGA. We have a statutory responsibility to prepare and adopt a Plan of Management for all the Crown reserves it manages and which are classified as 'Community Land'

Crown reserves are owned by the NSW State Government (the Crown) but are managed by City of Coffs Harbour, which has been entrusted to manage the reserves so as to ensure that public use and access is maintained. The land can be used for a wide range of purposes such as open space, public recreation, formal sporting purposes, emergency services, conservation, community services, cultural uses and commercial ventures etc.

Under the Crown Land Management Act 2016 and the Local Government Act 1993, we have a statutory responsibility to prepare and adopt a Plan of Management for all the Crown reserves it manages and which are classified as ‘Community Land’. Plans of Management may cover one or more individual reserves.

They are the key legal instrument that allows us to manage the land and in a manner that seeks to maximise benefits to the public. A Plan of Management authorises what the reserve can and cannot be used for, now and into the future. It also allows us to grant leases or licenses for the use or occupation over part or all of a reserve as well as outlining what types of development may occur on the land.

A Plan of Management does not however, replace a Masterplan, Strategic Plan or Operational Plan and it is not used for matters such as resource allocation.    

All Plans of Management are approved by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) prior to being placed on public exhibition and before being formally adopted by Council. This ensures that the Crown, as the land owner, is satisfied with Council’s overall approach to the use, management and development of the reserve.

A Plan of Management applies until such time as it is revoked by the Minister or a new Plan of Management is adopted by Council. 

Find current plans