ON TUESDAY THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE BLUE PRINT FOR PLANNING REFORM: “PLANNING MAKE’S IT HAPPEN PHASE II” WAS RELEASED. IF FULLY IMPLEMENTED, IT WILL REDUCE TIMELINES AND RELIEVE SOME COST PRESSURES IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
In the first round of planning reform, the “model conditions” which are applied to subdivision applications were reviewed with (mainly) positive outcomes. Development Assessment Panels were introduced and Improvement Plans and Schemes were extended to give greater flexibility to “make things happen.”
The ground works was also laid for a change in the relationship between the state and local governments. Section 76 of the Planning Act was amended to clarify that the Minister is able to give an order to local government to prepare or adopt an amendment to a local planning scheme. Some schemes are very old and out of date but the mechanism for making the appropriate review happen was previously unclear. This power is critical to implement one of the key phase two initiatives, the development of Model Scheme Text.
The Model Scheme Text in a Town Planning Scheme governs the relationship between the layers of planning, how changes are made and the planning requirements that may apply to a particular use or development. It also sets out the procedure for applying for planning approval and for dealing with applications.
A common scheme text means that the interpretation does not need to be tested in every local authority; there will be a common understanding of what the requirements mean across the state. It does not however, make the planning outcomes homogeneous as there is scope to suit the needs of the local area.
The other improvement being mooted which will remove unnecessary time delays is allowing changes to happen concurrently at both the high level and the detailed level, i.e. regional and local planning schemes. The other significant change is the introduction of standard and complex local scheme amendment processes which will cut out excessive red tape for minor changes.
UDIA is pleased that intent to prepare legislation to enable funding of regional land acquisition for open space and government infrastructure projects. The metropolitan region scheme area (basically Greater Perth) has had the Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax since 1959 and it has efficiently funded an enormous range of items from conservation areas to major transport corridor reserves.
The action plan gets a 9 out of 10, the challenge now is to make it happen.