01 November 2010
The Department of Planning has flagged the possibility that the Government may introduce a Planning Appeal Legislation Amendment Bill 2010, before Parliament adjourns in late November or early December.
The main thrust of the legislation will be to abandon the (unimplemented) system of planning arbitrators that formed part of the 2008 Sartor package of legislative reforms. Planning arbitrators was a quick and dirty appeals system for “mum and dad” applicants who currently avoid the Land and Environment Court.
Instead a system of conciliation and arbitration is proposed, within the Land and Environment Court. At this time it is only intended to cover single homes and dual occupancies, although it may be extended unilaterally by the government at a later time by regulation.
A PowerPoint presentation on this legislation is available here. The Urban Taskforce’s submission on the proposal is available here.
