Councils have called on the New South Wales Government to back up its new planning system with funds to allow councils to carry out the proposed changes.
The NSW Planning White Paper proposes that councils and communities come together in a world-first strategic community consultation model.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said the Liberals and Nationals had delivered on a promise to return more power to local councils.
“Under the new system, communities and local councils will come together for their streets, suburbs and regions whether it’s housing, jobs or infrastructure,” said Mr O’Farrell.
“The greater emphasis on strategic planning will ensure homes are delivered affordably, people can work close to where they live and infrastructure is guaranteed to support growth.”
Mr O’Farrell said over the past 30 years communities had been increasingly locked out of a complex planning system that did not grow with the state’s population.
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Brad Hazzard outlined the five key elements on which the new planning system will be based: community participation; infrastructure; strategic planning; cultural change; and development assessment.
“Within five years, we are aiming for 80 percent of applications to go through a faster code assessment process, which has the potential to save the community and business around $174 million a year through reduced delays.
“It turns the current planning system on its head by ensuring communities create strong long-term plans for suburbs and regions, and spend less time on debilitating site-specific development wars.”
Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne said the idea of community-based strategic planning had merit, but the State Government had not indicated how it would happen.
“This whole new system depends on a complex, sophisticated and entirely new way of consulting our communities, and the Government can’t tell us what form they think it should take.”
Mayor Byrne said the White Paper posed specific problems for more populated and diverse areas such as Leichhardt.
“We will have a code so general you could drive a truck through it, or one so specific that it would cost us a fortune to develop,” he said.
“With no funds and no resources from the State Government, that’s an unreasonable burden for our residents to bear.”
Mayor Byrne called on the State Government to provide a working fund for NSW councils to investigate new ways to consult with communities, and develop the best possible local codes.
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Joint President Ray Donald also expressed concerns about the changes proposed in the Planning White Paper.
“Local Government NSW supports the stronger focus on community engagement in strategic planning, however we are concerned that this emphasis may unnecessarily replace the well-established rights of neighbours to be involved with local development decisions.”
LGNSW will give a formal response to the White Paper and the related draft Exposure Bill after detailed analysis and consultation with members, experts and the community.
Councillor Donald said LGNSW would support a new planning system that provided transparency and accessibility to communities and a much needed ‘check and balance’.
“We commend the government in recognising the existing and successful consultation activities of Councils,” he said.
