Sustainable Planning ACT Reform Unveiled
ADC congratulates the State Government for the proposed reforms to Queensland’s Planning System
SPA reform unveiled today
Amendments to the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, introduced to Parliament today (13 September) will seek to reduce complexity and general inefficiencies in the planning system which have plagued development, hampered housing supply and damaged affordability.
It is the Institute’s view that the changes represent a good first step in delivering a planning system that will be more efficient, effective, predictable and transparent.
UDIA (Qld) has made strong representations to the Government relating to the problems which have been endemic to the planning system. Over the past decade Queensland’s planning system has become increasingly complex and costly, adversely affecting housing supply and affordability.
It is gratifying to see that our communications to Government have not fallen on deaf ears. In fact, some of the changes to the legislation are consistent with the pre-election UDIA document ‘Planning for Queensland’s Future’, which outlined 22 recommendations to improve the planning system.
In particular, we welcome changes that will remove unnecessary red tape and reduce holding costs, including:
- Making the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning the single agency that can make State Planning Policies and the single agency that tests development applications against State interests. Previously state government departments were acting as silos adding more red tape every year with their own overly complex policies;
- Reducing the level of assessment required for development applications for certain low risk operational works;
- Changes to dispute resolution processes so that residents can raise their legitimate concerns through mediation rather than going through a costly court process; and
- Greater powers to award court costs for vexatious and commercially motivated appeals. We also welcome the Government’s previous announcements regarding creating one simple State Planning Policy to replace the many existing complex and overly prescriptive policies. UDIA (Qld) will look at this Bill closely over the coming weeks and provide a formal response to Government.
We look forward to working with the Government to deliver further reforms to planning and to infrastructure charging over the coming months and years.
The new legislation will be available at: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au
See also the Ministerial Media Statement
Source: UDIA Qld
