The Coastal Environment means an environment in which the coast is a significant element or part, and includes:
(a) the coastal marine area;
(b) any areas identified as being affected by, or potentially affected by, coastal flooding or coastal erosion;
(c) any of the following:
(i) tidal waters and the land above mean high water springs;
(ii) dunes;
(iii) beaches;
(iv) areas of coastal vegetation and coastal associated fauna;
(v) coastal cliffs
(vi) salt marshes;
(vii) coastal wetlands, including estuaries; and
(viii) areas where activities occur or may occur which have a direct physical connection with, or impact on, the coast.
For the purposes of the Regional Coastal Environment Plan, the coastal environment comprises all of the coastal marine area of Hawke's Bay and the coastal margin.
