State Government accused of triple dipping on planning fees
The minimum cost of lodging plans with councils will almost triple under the state government's planning law overhaul, and it’s got local government’s crying foul.
SA News
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South Australian councils will have to pay an annual levy of up to $58,000 each to the State Government and forgo potentially tens of thousands of dollars in fees to help pay for a new planning system.
The minimum cost of lodging plans with councils will almost triple from $68 to $177 but councils will have to hand the money to the government under the new planning act.
West Torrens Council and Burnside Council said they earnt $125,579 and $77,056 in lodgement fees last financial year.
Councils must also pay a new online planning levy, which will be calculated according to the value of developments lodged with councils.
Councils that annually receive more than $100m of development applications – which is most metropolitan councils – will pay a maximum $58,000 a year.
The fees come on top of the government seeking to use money set aside in a so-called planning and development fund – which finances new council open space – to finance its reforms.
SA Local Government Association president Sam Telfer said the government was “triple-dipping” into council resources.
“The new planning system has been built and delivered by the State Government and the State Planning Commission and they are ultimately responsible for its ongoing operation and success,” he said.
“However, it appears that everyone but the State Government is paying for this new system.”
In a submission to the Environment Resources and Development Committee, the LGA has called for a review of the planning levy.
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The government is rolling out a new planning and design code, which will replace all council development plans with a single statewide planning document.
All applications will also need to be lodged online for the first time in what the government says will streamline planning applications.
But the LGA in its submission said councils had been given limited time to test the new code, and there was a “strong feeling of anxiety” among members ahead of using the new system.
“Local government should not be held responsible for system failures or delays as a result of the State Government’s new system,” it said.
“Despite great effort on their part, several councils are concerned that their planning staff and support staff will not feel ready to implement the system on July 31.”