Coastal residents, councils and developers have been given three months to have their say before the Baird government introduces the biggest shake-up in maritime planning in more than three decades.

On Friday, Planning Minister Rob Stokes released for consultation a draft bill for a new Coastal Management Act, changes to a management manual for councils and proposals to repeal three existing policies and replace them with a new State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).

Coasts are dynamic - and likely to become more so - and the planning laws must keep up, the NSW government says. Credit:Shane Chalker

"Since the original Coastal Protection Act was enacted in 1979 our understanding of coastal processes has improved dramatically," Mr Stokes said. "We know our coastline is not a fixed object, but a dynamic, ever-changing environment with a range of natural processes."