3Aims, objectives etc

3 Aims, objectives etc

3.1 Aims, objectives etc

The general aims of this Chapter are—

(a) to provide for the environmental protection of the Central Coast plateau areas and to provide a basis for evaluating competing land uses,

(b) to encourage the use of land having a high agricultural capability for that purpose and, as much as possible, to direct development for non-agricultural purposes to land of lesser agricultural capability,

(c) to protect regionally significant mining resources and extractive materials from sterilization,

(d) to enable development for the purposes of extractive industries in specified locations,

(e) to protect the natural ecosystems of the region, and

(f) to maintain opportunities for wildlife movement across the region, and

(g) to discourage the preparation of draft local environmental plans designed to permit rural residential development, and

(h) to encourage the preparation of draft local environmental plans based on merits.