NEWS - RECENT TOWN PLANNING PROJECTS BY CERTIFIED SYDNEY TOWN PLANNER CHRIS BLYTH

Recent Project Appointment:

We have had recent appointments to a variety of town planning projects including:

• SEPP seniors Living development Pymble, Ku-Ring-Gai Council June 2007 – 2008
• Independent Development Assessment Residential Aged Care facility, Penshurst, Kogarah Council, 2007 – 2008
• Independent development assessment North Sydney Council Chambers, North Sydney Council 2007
• Warehouse and Distribution Centre Eastern Creek, Blacktown Council June 2007 - 2008
• Duplex Housing Development Balmain, Leichhardt Council 2007-2008
• Sex Industry Premises Villawood, Bankstown Council 2008
• Sex Industry Premises Kings Park, Blacktown Council 2008
• Medium density Housing Projects, Sylvania (2) and Woolooware 2007- 2008 Sutherland Council
• Large Retail Commercial Development Rockdale, Rockdale Council 2007 - 2008
• Shopping Centre Land & Environment Court Appeal Bowral, Wingecarribee Council 2007
• Major warehouse development Winston Hills, Baulkham Hills Council June 2008
• Boarding House Conversion (State Environmental Planning Policy No.10) Manly, Manly Council May 2008
• Major Industrial subdivision Enfield, Strathfield Council June 2008
• Strata Title of Low rent residential flat building Dulwich Hill, Marrickville Council (State Environmental Planning Policy No.10), 2008
• Outdoor Advertising proposals North Sydney, North Sydney Council, Tempe, Marrickville Council 2007-2008
  

New South Wales Planning Reforms

New South Wales is currently involved in extensive reforms to the planning legislation and development process. Planning Minister Frank Sartor commented as follows after the draft Bills were approved by the Upper House on 18 June:

"Our changes will ensure the NSW system keeps pace with best practice planning across Australia and meets the challenges of the 21st century."

"Importantly, our package of changes will take much of the heartache out of planning applications lodged by ordinary homeowners,"

"We're restoring reasonable rights to property owners who want to undertake minor works, according to set rules, which don't affect either the neighbour or the neighbourhood. "The reforms tighten up rules around accredited certifiers and increase penalties, and strengthen review and appeal rights for ordinary applicants. "We have also slashed red tape for the live music and entertainment industry by abolishing rules which require venues to obtain place of public entertainment (POPE) licenses."
(Source: NSW Government Department of Planning LANDMARK PLANNING REFORMS PASS NSW UPPER HOUSE, Media Release 18 June 2008 The Hon Frank Sartor MP )

The Local Government and Shires Association is opposed to the proposed reform Model, adopting a "Keep it Local" campaign. The President of the Association Cr Genia McCaffrey , Mayor of North Sydney is of the opinion that the new planning laws will be to the benefit of developers commented after the passing of the bills:
"With the Local Government elections coming in September, communities must be very disappointed that the councils they elect will have very little power over development in their communities," she said.
"It's extremely disappointing that the parliament's passed the laws."
"Hopefully, the minister will at least deliver on his promise that councils won't be worse off financially as a result of these laws," she said.

"We're going to continue the campaign of making the Government accountable on the commitments its made.
(Source: ABC News, No-One worse off under Planning Laws: Sartor,)

The Planning Institute of Australia NSW Division has declared general support for the reforms and is heavily involved in preparation of codes and measures necessary in the implementation of the reforms. The basic position of the PIA is however that the amendments whilst supported as an improvement over existing processes, can only be regarded as short term and that eventually an entirely new Act will be required.

Some of the major reform measures proposed are:

• Private certification
  Limits will be introduced on annual income that can be derived from, and the amount of certificates that can be issued to a single client.
• Exempt and Complying development
  The use of exempt and complying development provisions is set to be expanded with minor works such as alterations and additions, barbecues, pergolas and backyard as well as single-storey homes to be subject to these provisions. Exempt and complying development will be subject to design codes to determine acceptability. Draft Codes are currently on exhibition are the NSW Housing code and NSW Commercial Building Code.
• Public Entertainment Licenses (POPE)
  The necessity of obtaining a POPE license from Council is to be abolished in order to remove barriers to establishment of live music and entertainment venues.
• Planning Assessment Commission (PAC)
  An independent Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) will be appointed to deal with approximately 80 per cent of proposal that are determined by the Minister at present.
• Joint Regional Planning Panels (JRPP)
  The panels will have both Council and State Government appointees and will determine regionally important projects, such as residential projects worth more than $50 million and commercial developments worth more than $20 million.
• Review of small scale applications
  Decisions made by Council's relating to the smaller range of development applications will be able to be reviewed by planning arbitrators as an alternative to costly court appeals.

Greater rights to appeal on merits grounds will also be made available to the community.

Chris Blyth - Sydney town planner, planning consultant NSW, Certified Practising Planner