5. Project drivers

Through consultation, research and review, the following six aspects have been identified as being the primary drivers for the delivery of the Rural Lands Strategy Project.

5.1 Strategy renewal

The Rural Lands Strategy is designed to provide long-term direction to replace the previous rural land planning undertaken as part of the Clarence Valley Settlement Strategy – the long-term plan for rural lands is now in need of renewal.

This process of renewal is also important in the delivery of Council’s adopted LSPS, including to inform Action 1.1 of Planning Priority 1 to “Prepare a Local Growth Management Strategy for the Clarence Valley” and to deliver on Planning Priority 12 to “Support and grow the agricultural sector” . The Strategy also responds to the outcomes of the NCRP 2036, including for example Direction 8: Promote the growth of tourism and Direction 11: Protect and enhance productive agricultural lands.

5.2 Loss of agricultural land

Loss of rural land, particularly Far North Coast Farmland Mapping, is a gradual process that can lead to a reduction in overall agricultural productivity and industry viability – an economic sector that is a major employer within the Clarence Valley.

Loss of agricultural land is caused by a range of activities including (but not limited to) increasing use of land for lifestyle reasons, alternative uses that are not associated with agriculture and subdivision of land to facilitate residential uses.

Whilst some of these issues are not as prevalent as in neighbouring LGAs, there is an increasing need to identify, understand and respond to these issues before they reach more acute levels in coming years.

5.3 Emergence of intensive industries

Already, and increasingly over the next 20 years, rural lands and the activities and uses that they enable will continue to evolve as a result of market forces, technological advancements and changes in farming practices.

Future uses are likely to become more intensive and diverse, as the value of rural land increases and the need for sustainable returns is meet with pressures for increased production. Recognising the changing nature in the use of rural land can help to meet the challenges that these changes bring. Enduring presence of land use conflict

Land use conflict is identified by many as a key and ongoing issue associated with the effective delivery of agricultural pursuits. This issue is also central to many of the outcomes identified by the Agricultural Commissioner’s Right to Farm Policy Review, DPI’s Agricultural Land Use Planning Strategy: Option Paper and the Agriculture Commissioner’s subsequent 2021 report - Improving the Prospects for Agriculture and Regional Australia in the NSW Planning System.

With increasing urbanisation, increasing use of rural lands for lifestyle purposes, and increasing diversity in rural activities, these impacts are apparent on both existing operations, and are a key consideration for future development and investment in agricultural activities.

5.4 Need for long term sustainability

The Clarence Valley has both significant biodiversity and over recent years has been one of the most natural disasters prone LGAs in Australia12. In recent times floods, bushfires and droughts have devastated rural lands with wide ranging impacts.

Council has declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ and has developed a Biodiversity Management Strategy (2020) – initiatives that reflect the importance of the natural environment and changing climate that underpins numerous issues associated with rural lands.

Conversely, the potential of carbon farming and carbon sequestration initiatives would appear to hold great potential into the future. Various reports13 indicate the potential for rapid change through new farming techniques, changes in modelling regulation and market take-up of carbon farming as market entry become more readily available. This presents opportunities for benefits to both the environment and the farmer as supplementary incomes benefit landowners. Harnessing positive change to rural activities

Uses and activities associated with rural lands are changing. Simple and traditional farming is being replaced with far more planned and deliberate opportunities for value-adding activities including (among others):

o tourism (e.g. farm stay and eco-tourism accommodation) o recreation (e.g. camping, walking and mountain-biking), and o environmental attributes (e.g. carbon farming, regenerative agriculture and biodiversity protection).

In conjunction with the changing nature of how rural lands are used and valued, there is a need to consider how this change can be viewed and embraced in positive and engaging ways. The large extents of rural lands, combined with the more recent desires for space and freedoms associated with the Covid-19 Pandemic, mean that rural lands are likely to remain in demand for a range of uses and activities and can be embraced as a core character of the area.

12 See for example https://www.smh.com.au/national/some-nsw-regions-face-up-to-six-naturaldisasters-a-year-20200116-p53s1f.html accessed 1 October 2021 13 See for example, https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-11-10/soil-solution-to-australias-netzero-climate-commitment/100592298 and https://www.theguardian.com/australianews/2021/oct/17/australian-first-farmer-mutual-aims-to-cut-out-carbon-farming-middleman accessed 17 November 2021