SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)·Page 44·6.38
Assessment of coastal development proposals
Planning authorities must assess the need, economic benefits, and environmental impacts of proposals requiring coastal location, permitting development on undeveloped coast only where of national/regional importance with no feasible alternative in existing urban areas.
In dealing with proposals that require a coastal location, planning authorities, must carefully assess the need for such development, its benefits for the local or regional economy and potential impacts on the environment. Development should only be permitted on the undeveloped coast where the proposal is of such national or regional importance as to outweigh any potential detrimental impact on the coastal environment and where there is no feasible alternative site within an existing urban area in the locality.
Source — /Users/richardhill/Documents/planning-arch-project/data/documents/regional/SPPS - Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025).pdf