Ways to plan with Country

In June 2019 I was invited by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage to present at workshops for Sydney metropolitan councils on planning and mapping tools to plan in the landscape, including planning with Country. Below is a list of opportunities to assist councils to plan with Country in LSPSs, LEPs and DCPs.

Firstly, to connect with Country, you need to walk Country (preferably with shoes off) and consult with traditional knowledge holders.

Various mechanisms to inform designing with Country exist and it is an evolving area.

Councils could prepare an Aboriginal Interpretation Strategy. Campbelltown has proposed this in their draft LSPS where they intend for the strategy to support the reflection of Campbelltown’s historical and contemporary Aboriginal culture into the city’s built form. Adopting first language names for places is a critical first step.

Councils could also:

• incorporate Aboriginal consultation protocols made in collaboration with Aboriginal community, in Community Participation Plans, and community engagement strategies

• develop a mapping methodology based on Aboriginal community knowledge e.g. Tweed Shire Council Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan

• investigate new heritage listings for inclusion in Schedule 5 of your LEP

• integrate Aboriginal Cultural Heritage into local character statements / place based planning / Planning Agreements for Growth Precincts and Planning Proposals so Aboriginal culture and values are included in design frameworks

• review land use zones and provisions to protect and enhance identified heritage values and facilitate adaptive re-use where appropriate. The LEP template gives scope for new LEP aims to design with Country with associated definitions

Planning provisions that protect and enhance natural values are about designing with Country

#PlanningwithCountry