Shoalhaven Environmental Consultants
Are you looking for an environmental consultant or ecologist in the Shoalhaven lga?
Narla Environmental is a highly experienced environmental consultancy servicing the south-eastern coast of NSW, namely the Shoalhaven Local Government Area (LGA). We have experience working for Shoalhaven City Council directly and have maintained the knowledge and expertise to deliver environmental reports, assessments, and advice for urban development approvals.
Shoalhaven Environment
The Shoalhaven LGA is home to at least 16 threatened ecological communities. These communities are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered under the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Shoalhaven is also known to contain over 150 threatened species under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) and the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Find out if your property contains a mapped Shoalhaven Threatened Ecological Community or threatened species by contacting Narla Environmental today. This may be a great constraint when developing your property.
When submitting a development application (DA) for the construction of a dwelling, shed, driveway, granny flat, subdivision, or landscaping, Shoalhaven City Council will assess your DA against key development standards and other relevant legislation. The two important Council documents include the Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan 2014 and the Shoalhaven Development Control Plan 2014. Your urban development project may require an environmental assessment to accompany the DA. This assessment will depend on the impacts of the proposed development on the environmental and ecological components of your property. Suitably qualified Ecologists, such as Narla Environmental, can help you achieve DA approval in the Shoalhaven LGA.
Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan 2014
The Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2014 is a document used to guide Shoalhaven City Council’s planning decisions when assessing a Development Application. The Shoalhaven LEP has various environmental and ecological provisions such as Terrestrial Biodiversity (Part 7.5) and Riparian Land & Watercourses (Part 7.6).
Terrestrial Biodiversity (Part 7.5)
This section of the Shoalhaven LEP sets out objectives and regulations to avoid, minimise, or mitigate adverse environmental impacts to biodiversity including:
Adverse impacts to native flora and fauna
Adverse impacts to vegetation critical for habitat or survival of native fauna
Potential fragmentation or disturbance to the structure, function, and composition of the land
Any adverse impacts to the connectivity of the land
The Terrestrial Biodiversity section of the Shoalhaven LEP applies to:
Land identified as containing ‘Terrestrial Biodiversity’ within the Terrestrial Biodiversity Map of the Shoalhaven LEP
You can access the Terrestrial Biodiversity Map by clicking here.
Land situated within 40m from a natural waterbody (measured from the top of bank)
If the Terrestrial Biodiversity clause of the Shoalhaven LEP applies to your proposed development, Shoalhaven City Council will likely require a suitably qualified Environmental Consultant, such as Narla Environmental, to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment.
Riparian Land and Watercourses (Part 7.6)
This section of the Shoalhaven LEP sets out similar objectives and regulations pertaining to adverse environmental impacts to riparian land and watercourses including:
Adverse impacts to:
water quality and flow
aquatic and riparian species, habitats, and ecosystems
bank stability
aquatic fauna passage
future rehabilitation of the watercourse and riparian areas
The Riparian Land and Watercourses section of the Shoalhaven LEP applies to:
Land identified as containing ‘Riparian Land’ within the Riparian Lands and Watercourses Map of the Shoalhaven LEP, or
Land that is within 50 from a mapped ‘Watercourse Category 1, 2, or 3’ within the Riparian Lands and Watercourses Map
You can access this map from the Shoalhaven LEP by clicking here.
Similarly, a suitable qualified Environmental Consultant and Ecologist, such as Narla Environmental, may be required to prepare an environmental assessment for your urban development DA.
ShoalHaven Development Control Plan 2014
The Shoalhaven Development Control Plan (DCP) 2014 sets out regulations and provisions for the use of land during a development. Chapter G5, Biodiversity Impact Assessment, outlines developmental controls to protect the biodiversity values of the Shoalhaven LGA.
Biodiversity Impact Assessment (Chapter G5)
This chapter aligns urban development in the Shoalhaven LGA with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. It applied to urban development and development applications that involve removal, modification, or potential indirect impacts to native vegetation (including grasses, shrubs, and trees) that may contain or provide habitat for threatened species.
Shoalhaven City Council may require a suitably qualified environmental consultant, such as Narla Environmental, to complete one of the following Biodiversity Impact Assessments to accompany your DA:
Flora and Fauna Assessment Report (FFA) - including a 5-part Test of Significance
Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) - following the Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM)
If your development triggers one of the following pathways, a BDAR will be required:
The proposed development is located on the Biodiversity Values Map (BV Map)
You can access the Biodiversity Values Map by clicking here.
The proposed development exceeds the area clearing threshold (see below), or
The impacts of the proposed development are considered significant.
In all other instances, an FFA (including a test of significance) may be required.
If clearing or impacts to native vegetation (including asset protection zone management) exceed the associated clearing threshold, Shoalhaven City Council will require a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report to be submitted with your Development Application.
Not quite at the da stage but want to know more about the feasibility of your property in shoalhaven for a DEVELOPMENT?
If you are thinking of purchasing a property in Shoalhaven or submitting a Development Application in the Shoalhaven LGA, we highly recommend an Ecological or Environmental Constraints Report, also known as a pre-construction constraints assessment. This low-cost report can save you time and money down the track by allowing you to most appropriately design your development to best avoid difficult environmental constraints. This report will highlight any threatened ecological communities, threatened flora, and threatened fauna species that may be present on the property.
Narla Environmental’s Ecological Constraints Assessment address all of the relevant Shoalhaven environmental constraints you may encounter during the DA stage. Commissioning this report will maximise your development potential while ensuring you maintain a strong chance of DA approval with Shoalhaven City Council.
Contact Narla for More Information