SA Government’s controversial planning and design reform delayed until 2021
The State Government has bowed to pressure and again delayed its controversial planning reforms in a move foreshadowed by The Advertiser.
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South Australia’s planning reforms have been delayed again and will not be in place across metropolitan Adelaide and major regional centres until next year.
Planning Minister Vickie Chapman said community, industry and council feedback was behind the decision to push back the final phase of its new planning and design code until after Christmas.
“I intend to announce a more definite date once I am fully briefed on the whole of the program,” she said.
“Over 90 per cent of development applications are lodged in the metropolitan area, so we need to take the necessary time and continue to collaborate with stakeholders and work with councils who are integral to the program’s success.
“At this stage of the process, it would be irresponsible for us to proceed and ignore the insight and feedback that we have received from councils and the broader community.”
The Advertiser revealed last week that the metropolitan and regional code was expected to be delayed amid community and industry pressure to slow down the reforms.
The Housing Industry Association wanted the reforms pushed back to at least March 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.
Ms Chapman said the final phase of the code was “anticipated to occur” in September but was “always dependent on a number of factors including the scale and complexity of
submissions received during our consultation stage.”
State Planning Commissioner chair Michael Lennon said the revised timeline would allow for business more time for business readiness.