Tasmanian planning panels: ongoing lack of strategy and policy development leads to frustration with planning outcomes
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA’s) position is clear: good planning is a pre-requisite for the delivery of well-located, effective and sustainable development in our communities. Tasmania has had nearly 20 years of planning reform focussed on changing planning scheme controls, cutting red tape and timeframes, driven by the development sector.
It is understood that the recently announced reforms seek to establish Delegated Assessment Panels appointed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission to determine applications that are nominated for this process.
The Planning Institute of Australia (Tasmanian Division) President, Mick Purves, said “Tasmania arguably has the fastest assessment system in Australia. Many of the growth pressures we currently suffer and frustrations with both the process and outcomes of planning decisions across the community, result from the ongoing lack of strategy and policy development within the State.”
“PIA has provided qualified support for the establishment of Development Assessment Panels and qualified decision making to improve the certainty of the approval process in Tasmania and across Australia."
“We look forward to working through the many questions around how the referral process will work, how the panel is appointed, whether the relevant planning scheme applies or whether other criteria apply for deciding an application, and what appeal process will relate to these decisions. The process is unlikely to be faster than a normal planning application determined by the local Council, simply due to how it will work”.
“Meaningful public engagement and education is required to address the current challenges that Tasmania is facing. We need to maintain the things that make Tasmania such a great place to live and work and ensure this reform doesn’t become just another layer to the approval processes”.
For further information, please contact PIA Tasmania President, Mick Purves on 0418 597 997.