Rural Lands Strategy progress report

Since the exhibition of the Rural Lands Issues Paper in May and June, Eurobodalla Shire Council and the Rural Lands Strategy Steering Committee have been reading and discussing the 173 submissions made by members of the community. The submissions were formally acknowledged at last week's council meeting.

General Manager, Dr Catherine Dale, says council recognises that the issues residents and land owners raised about the Eurobodalla Local Environmental Plan, including concerns about the previously proposed application of E3 zoning, are still important to them.

"I can assure everyone that the Rural Lands Strategy Steering Committee and council are working to address these issues and others as we gather all the information that is required to develop the Rural Lands Strategy," said Dr Dale.

"Our rural land significantly contributes to our local economy and our social infrastructure, and it is important this is recognised into the future."

Some of the issues raised during the exhibition of the Rural Lands Issues Paper were:

Protecting agricultural land from urban useSupporting the production, consumption and marketing of locally grown producePromotion of rural tourism opportunities in the EurobodallaProviding flexibility for farmers to change and diversify their rural activitiesRecognising the links between agriculture and the environment, andProviding opportunities for rural population growth.

Each issue is now being considered as part of the next phase of the project, said Dr Dale. "The next phase will see a review of the mapping of the Eurobodalla's rural lands which will include a thorough analysis of the local opportunities and constraints. It will also include the development of policy directions for the future."

She says the Rural Lands Strategy Steering Committee has already begun working with a specialist consulting firm to review the mapping and expects the process to be completed during the first half of 2014.

"The mapping review will identify productive agricultural land, land that could be used for further rural economic activity and land which contains any constraints," said Dr Dale.

When the draft policies and maps have been developed, they will be presented to the community for feedback.

Committee Chair, the Hon Ian Armstrong AM OBE, will soon make a presentation on the status of the Rural Lands Strategy after council invited his observations on environmental zoning and any points of contention.

Mr Armstrong says he was impressed with the number and quality of submissions on the Rural Lands Issues Paper and urges all members of the community to continue to have a say on the next phase.

"The committee wants to make sure the Rural Lands Strategy Committee is representing the interests of the whole of the Eurobodalla community," Mr Armstrong said.

For more information on the Rural Lands Strategy project, visit www.esc.nsw.gov.au. For regular email updates, please send a request to [email protected].