Overview
Victoria’s coast contributes to the state through port and trade activity, and tourism and related services. There are around 70 million recreational visits across some 2000km of coastline each year.
A number of government and non-government stakeholders manage coastal assets, pressures and issues. The planning system helps guide sustainable development within coastal settlements and manage development within non-urban areas.
The Victorian government supports the development of detailed coastal hazard mapping and risk assessments in preparation for storm surges and sea level rise. The department supports coastal adaptation planning by working with stakeholders to implement the best available coastal hazard information, including through planning schemes and related coastal management processes.
Planning guidance
Ministerial Direction No. 13 and Planning Practice Note 53 help with planning and guide responsible authorities:
- Direction No. 13: Managing coastal hazards and the coastal impacts of climate change (PDF, 58.1 KB) or (DOCX, 44.0 KB)
- Planning Practice Note 53: Managing coastal hazards and the coastal impacts of climate change (PDF, 280.4 KB) or (DOC, 135.5 KB)
For further information on how Catchment Management Authorities and Melbourne Water provide advice to responsible authorities on development proposals refer to:
- Planning for Sea Level Rise - Guidelines - Port Phillip and Westernport Region, Melbourne Water, February 2017 (PDF, 3.5 MB)
- Guidelines for Coastal Catchment Management Authorities: Assessing Development in relation to Sea Level Rise, June 2012 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Read the fact sheet on managing coastal hazards and the coastal impacts of climate change:
Other coastal planning initiatives
Information about other coastal planning strategies and initiatives:
- Coasts and Marine
Led by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Coasts and Marine Management, Strategies, Programs and Grants aim to reduce the impact of coastal hazards and better manage the Government's duty of care and liability for coastal Crown land.
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Coastal Planning Grants Program
Program Details
The Coastal Planning Grants Program provides funding to assist local government with the planning scheme implementation of:
- state-funded local coastal hazard assessments or;
- the land use planning components of any coastal adaptation planning or;
- hazard assessment and risk analysis undertaken by councils and supported by the state.
Status: Open
Close: Friday 18 March 2022
Who can apply?
Expressions of Interest are sought from coastal local government councils and partner local councils acting under the auspices of Regional and Strategic Partnerships established under the Marine and Coastal Act 2018 who:
- have undertaken or are undertaking local coastal hazard assessments or coastal adaptation planning or hazard assessments and have not to date received funding from the State Government's Coastal Planning Program or Community Asset Improvement Planning Program, or Coastal Settlements of the Future Program, and
- are seeking to develop and exhibit planning scheme-related responses to sea level rise and coastal climate change adaptation.
Criteria
The Program funding is aimed at supporting coastal adaptation settlement planning undertaken by councils and Regional and Strategic Partnerships in priority locations, including in a regional context, to help manage future sea level rise-related challenges. The Program is administered through the Planning portfolio of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
As these localised hazard assessments are completed, and the extent of the possible hazard at this more detailed level is known or becomes clearer, areas showing sea level rise vulnerability need to be included in planning schemes, for example, through:
- a review of existing relevant strategic planning documents, such as structure plans
- a review of local planning policy
- the development of new strategic planning documents and local planning policy to guide land use and development decision making
- application of planning controls
- engagement of land use planning expertise in local coastal climate change adaptation.
The funding can be used for the planning scheme amendment process, including the planning panels process, to implement adopted local coastal hazard assessments or coastal adaptation planning and associated risk analysis, and strategic planning undertaken for this purpose in the planning scheme.
The Program aims to complement (and cannot duplicate) the former State Future Coasts program. It cannot fund activities that either were funded or which would have been eligible for funding under that program, including:
- sea level rise-related data collection
- hazard assessment and peer review of data
- data mapping
- coastal erosion analysis and/or assessment
- or any local coastal hazard assessment and associated explanatory material.
In addition, the Coastal Planning Grants Program cannot fund:
- any activities which would be eligible for funding under any other State Government program relating to Crown land and coastal climate change
- any review of climate science
- any review of state policy, or the Victoria Planning Provisions
- any capital works.
An application must include:
- a detailed Project Proposal and Budget allocation and
- an in-kind contribution (funding or resources), or
- a planning scheme authorisation request or resolution to make an authorisation request (where a council has adopted a Coastal Planning Grant(s) (or any of its program predecessors) - funded project recommendation to implement a local coastal hazard assessment or coastal adaptation planning in the planning scheme).
Please read the 'Grants application guidelines template' and complete and submit the 'Minimum information requirements' document below with your application:
The Coastal Planning Grants Program has $200,000 funding open to all eligible coastal local governments.
All applications will be considered on their merits and must meet the criteria outlined above.
Applications close 5pm Friday, 18 March 2022.
Apply Now
Applications are to be emailed to Planning Systems to the attention of the Manager, Coastal Planning Grants Program, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
More information
For further information, please contact the Manager, Coastal Planning Grants Program, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning at Planning Systems.
Related programs and resources
Coastal Strategy
The Victorian Coastal Strategy 2014 is established under the Coastal Management Act 1995 and is the government’s policy for Victoria’s coastal, estuarine and marine environments. It provides a long-term vision for the planning, management and sustainable use of our coast, and the policies and actions Victorians will need to implement over the next five years to help achieve that vision.
The Strategy is referenced in the State Planning Policy Framework of all Victorian planning schemes and informs the development and implementation of other locally and regionally specific strategies and plans, including:
- Regional Coastal Plans:
- Coastal Management Plans.