1 USING HISTORICAL INFORMATION TO ASSIST FUTURE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN SENSITIVE COASTAL ZONES

coastal zone. Australia is a nation of coastal dwellers and with over 80 % of the population living within 50 km of the coast, planning for future sea level rise and storm surge in sensitive coastal zones is imperative for future developments in low lying areas along the Australian coast. The complexities and limitations of current planning laws for coastal developments in NSW in relation to climate change is evident with a myriad of different instruments, policies, legislation and case law depending on the location or shire. This paper uses a case study of a proposed development in the Batemans Bay area on the New South Wales south coast to examine some of the planning issues in relation to inundation from sea level rise and storm surges as a result of climate change and how it might impact on future planning and development in sensitive coastal areas. The paper draws on existing literature and data available through previous studies, as well as current legislation and case law and provides some alternatives to current practice and procedure.