Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group

Climate Change and Hazard Vulnerability

 

 

Funding under the “Sustainable Regional Development” program also required preparation of a climate change and hazard vulnerability assessment for the Upper Spencer Gulf.

 

The key objective of this strategy was to identify high level climate change adaptation options for the three cities, with a focus on opportunities for Development Plan change. In this way, the region can proactively prepare for climate change by ensuring local Development Plans support adaptation through addressing climate change risks or vulnerabilities and taking advantage of any opportunities.

 

Recommended change to development plans includes:

 

Building energy efficiency

Include new or updated policies within the Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans to encourage energy efficiency in new development.

 

Urban design and public realm

In all current Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans there is potential to strengthen policies to encourage shade and amenity through green space and built form in both centres and residential areas.

 

Stormwater capture and reuse

There is potential for all Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans to facilitate increased stormwater capture and reuse through encouragement of best practice water sensitive design in new development.

 

Flooding

Opportunity exists for the Upper Spencer Gulf Councils to consider adding to or amending their existing Development Plan policies based on the findings of recent and future flood studies.

 

Renewable energy facilities

There is potential for Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans to include more explicit policy to encourage and guide the assessment of renewable energy production in specific locations. The values mapping exercise undertaken for this project identified a number of locations within the Upper Spencer Gulf with renewable energy production potential).

 

Indoor recreation facilities

While policies amongst the Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans relating to indoor recreation facilities are generally consistent, they are not extensive. There is opportunity to further consider the relationship between the current policies and appropriate locations for new and upgraded facilities.

 

Rural Living

Existing policies require land division in rural areas to be capable of providing adequate infrastructure and services, and various hazard provisions must also be met across the Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plans. There is potential for these policies to be clarified, made consistent, and potentially strengthened to avoid rural living allotments being approved where infrastructure and hazard protection cannot be economically provided.

 

Coastal hazards

There is potential to undertake a more detailed review of whether existing Upper Spencer Gulf Development Plan policies provide appropriate protection to all coastal areas, and adequately manage future development to mitigate climate change risks. There is also potential to clarify existing policies in consultation with the Coast Protection Board. Such a review may require more detailed investigations into sea level rise projections at particular locations.

 

 

The strategy also identifies a number of other actions that will support the recommended planning policy change including:

 

• Building capacity in the region for policy implementation;

• Responding to information gaps;

• Developing a regional approach to infrastructure and facilities planning;

• Stimulating investment in the public realm;

• Supporting renewable energy development;

• Pursuing water capture and reuse;

• Educating and building the capacity of the community.

 

 

The final report for this project is available here.

 

 

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