The City of Kingston, in south east Melbourne, has developed a new, easy to navigate, online Town Planning section on its web site. People applying for permits and the general public can access relevant planning information.
A major feature of the Town Planning site is an electronic register providing details about current and past planning applications from the past two years. This register allows the general public and applicants to:
- make enquiries about the planning process via the internet
- search for and/or investigate what planning applications have been lodged
- track the progress of planning applications.
Council’s Planning Information Brochures are also available to download, providing general information on the following:
- ‘Planning’ and why we need to ‘plan
- the Planning Scheme and how it can be changed
- key policies to consider before lodging a planning permit
- how to apply for planning permit
- responding to a planning permit.
Other planning information available online includes, planning policies, neighbourhood character guidelines, information on major projects planned for Kingston, subdivision information, zones and overlays; vegetation management and tree assessment, and engineering assessments. Forms for applicants and objectors, as well as schedules of fees for various planning permits, can be downloaded.
Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Arthur Athanasopoulos, congratulated Council’s Town Planning and Information Technology staff in bringing the new online Town Planning pages to life.
“Planning is such a complex process that some people find intimidating,” he said. “Kingston’s new Town Planning web site, combined with our Planning Information Brochures, aims to make that process a little easier by providing relevant planning information in an easy to read and easy to access format.
Mayor Athanasopoulos said Kingston’s Town Planning Department was also involved in a State Government project called SPEAR which will eventually make it possible to lodge planning applications electronically. Stage 1 of this project, which will allow the electronic lodgement of subdivision applications, is expected to be operational by May 2004.
For further information contact Ian Nice, Manager Statutory Planning and Building Services, on (03) 9581 4880.
