No. 55

PLANNING CONTINUES TO BE MADE SIMPLER, FASTER

For the third year in a row, the Stanhope Government has committed significant funds to continue making the planning system simpler, faster and more effective.

Planning Minister Simon Corbell said the Government had committed a further $585,000 for 2006-07 to the planning system reform project, which amounted to more than $1.2 million since 2004-05.

“During 2006-07, planning system reform will come to the fore through the ACT Legislative Assembly considering a new Bill that introduces major changes to the planning system.  The new planning Bill will save homeowners and industry time and money and give them greater certainty about what they need to do if they require approval,” Mr Corbell said.

The 2006-07 funds will primarily be invested in:
•	education and training about the new system for the community, industry and ACT Planning and Land Authority staff;
•	completing the restructure of the Territory Plan and making sure its accuracy is maintained;
•	engaging expert assistance to bed down some highly technical aspects of the system;
•	resources to bed down and implement concessional lease reforms; and
•	development of a monitoring system to measure the success of the reforms.

“In the new system, more developments will be exempt from development approval, and will only require building approval, which is given by certifiers. There will also be more developments that do not require building approval,” Mr Corbell said.