NSW Planning System Review
The NSW Government is undertaking a major review of the State’s planning system, including a review of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The next step in the development of the State’s new planning system was the NSW Government’s release of White Paper – A new planning system for NSW on 16 April 2013.
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) is working to ensure that the NSW Government actively listens to Local Government's views and concerns as the planning system reforms are developed and implemented.
LGNSW has long advocated the need to review the NSW planning system to reduce its complexity. In our submission on the Green Paper (listed below), we endorsed many of the concepts underpinning the proposed reforms, including:
- The focus on stronger and upfront strategic planning.
- Genuine and effective community engagement.
- Streamlined development assessment.
- The importance of culture change to effect such a transformation in the system.
However, while we support the stronger focus on community engagement in strategic planning, we question whether this emphasis may unnecessarily replace the well-established rights of neighbours to be involved with local development decisions. LGNSW has firmly stated its opposition to any system that unreasonably limits neighbours’ involvement. We also advocate a system with binding strategic plans and warn against providing multiple opportunities to overturn community-endorsed strategic plans.
We will be strongly advocating that, to become a workable reform, the new system requires input from Local Government, as well as a significant commitment of resources (new technology, people, education and training etc.) by the NSW Government.
The White Paper exhibition closes on 28 June 2013.
Submissions
LGSA Submission to NSW Planning System Review - Green Paper - September 2012 (PDF, 997KB)
LGSA Submission on the Review of NSW Planning System Issues Paper - March 2012 (PDF, 512KB)