❓ Mr. Krsticevic asks about the government's planning reform achievements and their impact on homeowners and small businesses. The Minister details streamlined regulations, exemptions from development approvals, and reduced approval times.
AnsweredQoN 707Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLANNING REFORM
707. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Minister for
Planning:
I note that another milestone has been achieved in the government's
planning reform agenda. Can the minister please update the house on this recent
achievement and how it will assist homeowners and small business?
707. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the Minister for
Planning:
I note that another milestone has been achieved in the government's
planning reform agenda. Can the minister please update the house on this recent
achievement and how it will assist homeowners and small business?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. There have been many elements to the
government's reform of the planning system in Western Australia since
we came to government. The purpose, of course, has been to ensure that we have
a more effective and efficient planning system that is responsive to the
contemporary needs of the Western Australian community. One of the major
projects has been a complete rewrite of the local planning scheme regulations
under the Planning and Development Act. These regulations provide for the
procedures that need to be adopted when local planning schemes are either being
prepared or amended, and a range of related aspects. For the first time, there
will be consistency across 150 local government town planning schemes across
Western Australia. The new regulations replace what was previously referred to
as the model scheme text. There are a number of aspects that have changed. One
example, and a significant change, is in relation to the fact that anybody
building or renovating a single house that complies with the residential design
codes and planning requirements will be exempt from needing a development
approval and will be able to go straight to obtaining a building licence rather
than having to go through another stage, as they have had to do with quite a
number of local governments, of also getting planning approval. This exemption
will also apply to other low-impact developments that comply with the R-codes,
including patios, carports and granny flats or ancillary accommodation.
The reform will also benefit small and medium-sized business owners,
who will not be required to get a development approval for premises for what is
shown in the scheme as being a permitted use. For example, somebody who is
taking out a lease on a vacant shop would be able to change the use from a hairdressing
premises to an office without needing to wait for up to 60 days for development
approval. Also, the time taken to prepare and approve new planning schemes and
planning scheme amendments will generally be reduced because the requirements
are being streamlined. That will ensure that there is a better allocation of
resources at both the state and local government levels. It will also reduce
the holding costs for land developers in many cases. They are just a few
examples of some of the changes that have been put in place.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : What about a change from a hairdresser to a
smoking implement shop?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : There are other aspects that are hopefully
dealing with that aspect. I know the member has raised that issue in a
grievance in here previously.
The new regulations will come into effect on 19 October after a
seven-week transition period. This has been a major project as I said, and I do
thank all those in the Department of Planning, the Western Australian Planning
Commission, the planning profession and other stakeholders, including local
governments, who have contributed to what has been a long consultation process.
government's reform of the planning system in Western Australia since
we came to government. The purpose, of course, has been to ensure that we have
a more effective and efficient planning system that is responsive to the
contemporary needs of the Western Australian community. One of the major
projects has been a complete rewrite of the local planning scheme regulations
under the Planning and Development Act. These regulations provide for the
procedures that need to be adopted when local planning schemes are either being
prepared or amended, and a range of related aspects. For the first time, there
will be consistency across 150 local government town planning schemes across
Western Australia. The new regulations replace what was previously referred to
as the model scheme text. There are a number of aspects that have changed. One
example, and a significant change, is in relation to the fact that anybody
building or renovating a single house that complies with the residential design
codes and planning requirements will be exempt from needing a development
approval and will be able to go straight to obtaining a building licence rather
than having to go through another stage, as they have had to do with quite a
number of local governments, of also getting planning approval. This exemption
will also apply to other low-impact developments that comply with the R-codes,
including patios, carports and granny flats or ancillary accommodation.
The reform will also benefit small and medium-sized business owners,
who will not be required to get a development approval for premises for what is
shown in the scheme as being a permitted use. For example, somebody who is
taking out a lease on a vacant shop would be able to change the use from a hairdressing
premises to an office without needing to wait for up to 60 days for development
approval. Also, the time taken to prepare and approve new planning schemes and
planning scheme amendments will generally be reduced because the requirements
are being streamlined. That will ensure that there is a better allocation of
resources at both the state and local government levels. It will also reduce
the holding costs for land developers in many cases. They are just a few
examples of some of the changes that have been put in place.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : What about a change from a hairdresser to a
smoking implement shop?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : There are other aspects that are hopefully
dealing with that aspect. I know the member has raised that issue in a
grievance in here previously.
The new regulations will come into effect on 19 October after a
seven-week transition period. This has been a major project as I said, and I do
thank all those in the Department of Planning, the Western Australian Planning
Commission, the planning profession and other stakeholders, including local
governments, who have contributed to what has been a long consultation process.
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