A ‘Coastal Living” strategy based on re-zoning of coastal land for residential development is being pushed by a group of King Islanders.
They propose allowing coastal land, now zoned rural resource, to be rezoned to allow subdivision and affordable housing development, with protective building, environmental and public access to beach requirements.
Landowners argue that some of the coastal land is unsuitable/unusable for livestock and would be better used to proactively attract migration to the island.
The group of long-term islanders believe that population incentivisation requires vision and proactive zoning changes. They believe the King Island Land Planning Scheme administered and enforced by the King Island Council does not currently have the flexibility to adapt to the needs of a changed island environment.
Over the past 40 years, the population has decreased from 3,500 to under 1,700, where it has remained for more than a decade. The group believes King Island’s primary challenge is population growth.
The population decline started in the 1980s with the closure of the big employers – the mine in Grassy and compounded by the closure of the abattoir in 2012/13.
These events created a cycle where economic pressures caused further population decreases as people left due to high living costs and lack of opportunities, with the young and families being the first to go.
While the population naturally continues to age, this demographic is also leaving the island due to the cost of living and service pressures and are not being replaced at a sustainable rate.
Another significant cause of population decline is within the farming sector. Corporate farms increase their competitive advantage by buying out smaller, family-run farms taking advantage of economies of scale, infrastructure investment, and technology.
The consolidation leads families to leave the island and new arrivals to take contracted terms. With farming being a dominant sector, this trend has a disproportionate impact on the overall population. Census data shows a loss of 71 families from 2001 to 2021.
A ‘Coastal Living’ strategy involves permanent homes ranging from the humble through to high-end, usually with sea views and proximity to the shore.
Land parcels typically range from 0.5-4 hectares (or less) and often have some degree of separation from neighbours. These buildings reflect the diverse lifestyles of their occupants, from simple off-grid living to sea-changers, retirees, remote workers, and the wealthy.
Despite having more than 164 km of coastline, King Island has fewer than 40 blocks suitable for “Coastal Living”.
By comparison Flinders Island has five times the proportion of coastal blocks and residences within 300 metres of the coast.
The Rural Resource zone, which covers 87 per cent of King Island, blocks most “Coastal Living” opportunities. Even unproductive old dune systems are zoned as Rural Resource.
The group argues that King Island’s coastline could support hundreds of “Coastal Living” blocks.
Those proposing the strategy say it offers a sustainable way to achieve long-term population growth. “The planning scheme needs updating to allow non-productive coastal land for’ Coastal Living’ purposes,” they say.
“This change would secure permanent coastal access and facilities for the community.”
The Tasmanian Planning Commission is finalising a new statewide planning scheme and there will be representations at the hearings this week to discuss submissions and potential updates to the King Island Local Provisions Schedule (KILPS) including creating “Coastal Living” zoning.
King Island’s needs have been documented through various consultations and reports (King Island Land Use Strategy 2018, King Island Future Search Conference, King Island Structure Plan, King Island Council Strategic Plan 2022-2023).
All conclude that increasing population with a target of 3,300 would positively impact shipping, flights, economic diversification, health and education services, youth and social opportunities, support from state and federal governments, and the rate base for infrastructure and council services.