Fingal Head Community Plan – Background

Locality planning is an integral aspect of Tweed Shire Council’s strategic land use planning, involving detailed reviews and development of plans to guide compatible growth in line with the community’s vision. Several locality plans have been completed for areas such as Pottsville, Hastings Point, Cabarita Beach, and Kingscliff, with development controls outlined in the Tweed Development Control Plan (DCP).
In April 2019, Tweed Shire Council (TSC) initiated an extensive community engagement program to begin the preparation of the Fingal Head Locality Plan. The process included the preparation of the Fingal Head Context Paper, followed by three community consultation sessions, providing opportunities for residents, and stakeholders to contribute their ideas and perspectives.
To ensure broader participation, an online survey was made available on YourSayTweed, the council’s consultation website. This survey mirrored the questions asked during the face-to-face sessions, allowing respondents to provide input at their convenience over four weeks.
The Fingal Head Locality Plan Community Feedback and Vision Options were presented in May 2019, with the plan intended for final exhibition in early 2020 and adoption in July 2020. However, due to the impact of COVID-19 and changes in the New South Wales state planning framework, progress on the plan was halted.

The results of this 2019 effort can be viewed on the tweed Shire Council website links below:

Preparing the Fingal Head Community Plan
Looking ahead, in 2023, the Fingal Head Community Association (FHCA) established a subcommittee to develop the Fingal Head Community Plan (FHCP). This plan will be centred around the principles of preserving, protecting, and improving Fingal Head, covering a 20-year forward period and setting priorities for projects and plans within that timeframe.
The planning team responsible for the FHCP will operate independently from other interest groups in the community, guided by its own charter and focusing on what is best for the overall well-being of the Fingal Head community.

Why did we choose a Community Plan in lieu of a Locality Plan?

1. A locality plan typically refers to a document or strategy that outlines the development and management of a specific geographic area or locality. It may cover various aspects such as land use, infrastructure, transportation, environmental protection, and community facilities within that area.
   Locality plans aim to guide the growth and development of a specific region while considering the unique characteristics and needs of that locality.
2. A Community Plan, also known as a Local Community Plan or Neighbourhood Plan, focuses on addressing the specific needs, priorities, and aspirations of a particular community or neighbourhood within a larger jurisdiction, such as a local council or municipality. It is a planning document that reflects the unique characteristics, challenges, and opportunities of that specific community.
   A Community Plan typically involves community engagement and consultation processes to gather input from residents, organisations and other stakeholders. It identifies the community’s goals, strategies, and actions to enhance the quality of life, social well-being, and physical environment of the neighbourhood. It may cover areas such as local infrastructure, community services, land use, heritage preservation, environmental initiatives, and economic development specific to that community.

The Fingal Head Community Planning Team (FHCPT) has adopted the Community Plan model as it is a more localised and tailored planning document focused on the specific needs and priorities of a particular community or neighbourhood within a larger jurisdiction i.e., Tweed Shire Council. There are limited new growth opportunities in Fingal Head, due to designated flooding zones with no additional, new land / residential development opportunities, with designated or pre-existing commercial lots.