Five-day approval: SA Planning Commission design guidelines to improve new homes and create faster process for developers
Developers would be rewarded with five-day approvals if they follow new guidelines around trees, on-site parking and improved home designs, under a new planning code.
SA Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Controversial planning and design reform delayed until 2021
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser subscription
Houses could be approved within five days under a major overhaul of the state’s planning system.
A new set of design standards aimed at improving the quality of housing across metropolitan Adelaide has been released.
Developers will be rewarded with a five-day turnaround on housing applications if they meet minimum benchmarks around tree planting and landscaping, stormwater retention, car parking and garaging, façade design and street appeal.
The State Planning Commission has consulted with industry, councils and the community about its proposals. They form part of a new planning and design code for urban areas to be implemented next year.
The new design policies cover infill housing development across Adelaide, including semi-detached homes, row housing and group developments.
They include:
AT LEAST one tree planting for each new home or payment into an offset fund for planting elsewhere in the council area.
LANDSCAPED garden space of 15-to-25 per cent of the total site area.
MINIMUM 2000L water tanks for sites up to 200sq m, and 3000L for larger allotments, including retention and detention components.
ON-SITE and on-street car parking space requirements and maximum driveway widths to preserve on-street parking.
SPECIFYING minimum garage widths and lengths to encourage people to park their cars on-site rather than use them for storage.
Several of the design principles for infill development set out in the State Planning Commission’s draft planning and design code. Supplied by SA Planning Commission
Planning Commission member Craig Holden said the design principles were developed in response to community concerns about the quality of infill housing.
“During the consultation period we had enormous feedback from across community - there is a large cross-section of the community concerned about what’s happening to our street-scapes,” he said.
“In many cases we’re taking away homes that have long been established with a front garden and back lawn, and we can’t afford to lose the character and quality of our suburban streets.”
To improve the street appeal of new infill housing, developers are being asked to incorporate a minimum of three design features on front facades, including eaves, porches, balconies and a variety of materials.
“The principle issues are around a lack of street character – there was constant feedback about a lack of trees, a lack of carparking, walls of garages,” Mr Holden said.
“There have been some very poor examples of what’s been occurring in recent years and the majority of the feedback from the community has been around enhancing street appeal.
“We’ve intended to create some variety – we’re not telling people how to design but they have options.”
Housing developments that are unable to meet the new design criteria will be assessed against “performance outcomes” – a process that typically takes around 20 days to complete.
Following concerns from the housing industry about the proposed “one-tree-policy”, the Planning Commission engaged BDO EconSearch and Tonkin Engineering to undertake a detailed cost-benefit analysis.
The research found the policy would deliver “economic, amenity and liveability gains” to the greater Adelaide community valued at $26.4m.
Last month new Planning Minister Vickie Chapman confirmed the final phase of the new planning and design code – covering metropolitan Adelaide and major regional centres – would be delayed until next year.
The controversial code will replace all development plans across SA with a single set of planning policies and a new ePlanning system that the Government has argued will streamline development.