SA planning and design code, replacing council development plans, made public
Do you want to build a house next year? Then the state’s first single planning blueprint — finally out for public consultation — could be worth a read.
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A highly-anticipated planning and design rule book to regulate development across the state is available for public inspection.
The State Planning Commission has today released for consultation its 3000-page draft planning and design code - a single consolidated set of planning rules for assessing development applications.
The code, which is legislated to be in force across the state by July 2020, will replace the 23,000 pages of planning policy found in 72 council development plans.
Planning Commission chairman Michael Lennon said the proposed code, which has been 18 months in the making, will make the planning process quicker, simpler and more equitable.
The code will be on consultation for rural councils until November 29 and for urban councils to February 28, 2020.
The finalised code will be rolled out with an electronic platform, removing current paper based process for lodging planning applications.
Councils will not be removed from the decision-making process but the new electronic portal will determine which planning rules apply to a development application.
Residents will be able to type their address into the website and find out what planning controls affect their house.
The Code would reduce the number of planning zones, such as residential and industrial zones, from more than 1500 at present to less than 60.
The Advertiser reported last week that one aim of the new code is to improve the quality of new houses in response to community concern about the negative impacts, such as loss off trees and traffic congestion, of poorly planned urban infill.
Councils and heritage advocates have also voiced their concerns that the proposed code could make it easier to demolish thousands of historic properties via removal of contributory items from the new planning system.
But the planning commission has said that demolition controls will be strengthened.
The code is available from 9am. Have your say on the draft planning and design code visit www.saplanningportal.sa.gov.au/have_your_say.