Following is a message from Woollahra Council, outlining their submission to the NSW Green paper on a new planning regime.
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Good afternoon
Woollahra Council recently made a submission to the NSW Government Green Paper – A New Planning System for New South Wales. We also resolved to notify you of the submission, encouraging you to similarly voice your concerns to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
The Green Paper is the NSW Government’s blueprint for fundamental changes to the planning system, based around four key reforms: community participation, strategic focus, streamlined approval, and provision of infrastructure.
Our submission raises concern with reforms in the Green Paper that seek to remove planning decisions from Council and diminish community involvement. This is proposed by the introduction of higher order subregional strategic plans that can override local plans, and the further expansion of the complying development and private certification system.
We anticipate that these changes will alienate the community from the planning decisions that directly affect them, diminish the role of Council, and result in detrimental impacts on the built, heritage and natural environments.
Our submission was among 1,000 responses received by the NSW Government on the Green Paper. Following consideration of these submissions, the Government will release a White Paper and draft legislation later this year for further public comment, with the expectation that legislation will be introduced into Parliament in early 2013.
We urge you to be aware of these upcoming exhibition documents and make a submission.
For more information on the planning reforms, visit the Department of Planning and Infrastructure website at www.planning.nsw.gov.au.
Our submission can be viewed at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Portals/0/PolicyAndLegislation/GreenPaperSubmissions/Woollahra_Council.pdf
Yours sincerely
Jacquelyne Della Bosca
Team Leader Strategic Planning
