Water sensitive urban design

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) aims to ensure developments are designed, constructed and maintained in a way that manages stormwater to better protect the local environment and waterways.

Urbanisation increases the amount of impervious (hard) surfaces e.g. roads, driveways, roofs. Stormwater which previously soaked into vegetated areas now collects and travels along the path of least resistance (traditional stormwater pipes and gutters) into natural waterways. This increases flow rates and velocities pollutant levels and the frequency of runoff events. Small rain events create more runoff which carries pollutants.

In order to protect and improve the quality of our waterways, the City of Coffs Harbour has adopted WSUD to help manage these frequent, high polluting rainfall events that occur in our ever developing urban area.

WSUD generally applies to:

  • Subdivisions
  • Residential (over a certain size)
  • Commercial 
  • Industrial 
  • Tourist 
  • Public Buildings 
  • Car parks

We advise that anyone lodging a development application to which WSUD applies read the guideline.

Related information

Back to top