Our Planning System - a central issue in the 2014 State Election

LG Leader March 2014

Given that this election is occurring in the midst of the introduction of the precinct planning amendments to the Housing and Urban Development (Administrative Arrangements) Act, the review of the Development Act currently being undertaken by the Expert Panel on Planning Reform as part of the Planning Review Project, and with significant media coverage of the Inner Metropolitan Growth Development Plan Amendments and related changes to the Development Regulations, it is no surprise that our planning system, and in particular, the role of local government in that system, has become a key election issue.

We had the pleasure of attending the LGA’s Planning Forum on 14 February 2014 at which the Minister for Planning, John Rau MP, the Shadow Minister for Planning, Vickie Chapman MP and Greens MLC Mark Parnell each spoke about their intentions for the involvement of local government in planning processes.

Each of the speakers agreed that significant changes to our planning system should not occur until the Expert Panel delivers its final recommendations to Parliament in December this year.

The speakers disagreed on the way in which local government should be involved in the determination of development applications for developments within the City of Adelaide and within the Inner Metropolitan Areas.

John Rau MP stated that the Government’s current policy for these areas would remain in place if re-elected and that this policy, which sees development applications for developments worth over $10 million within the City of Adelaide and developments of 5 storeys or more within the Inner Metropolitan Areas, determined by the DAC and not the relevant council.  The view held is that this provides a consistent and certain process which encourages investment in development projects and therefore encourages job growth in the construction sector.

Vickie Chapman MP confirmed that, if elected, a Liberal Government would amend the Development Regulations so that the developments listed above will, in most circumstances, be determined by councils and not the DAC.

Mark Parnell MLC confirmed that it was the Greens policy to increase council and community involvement in the determination of development applications, and that the Greens will also advocate for changes to the Development Act to ensure that the Minister for Planning cannot make planning policy and major development decisions without ensuring that the public could properly participate in this process.

Whilst it remains to be seen who our future Government will consist of, and what policies will be implemented, it is clear that changes are likely to occur to the role of local government in our planning system either before or after the conclusion of the Planning Improvement Project.