Council fears planned reforms

NOOSA Council fears new planning reforms will deny residents a say on development applications and sideline councils from decision-making.
Proposals include the removal of public notification requirements, reductions to assessment timeframes and new scope for private entities to decide the fate of planning applications.
Council voted at the last general meeting to write to the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning spelling out its concerns.
“Any push by the state to appoint private entities as development assessment managers, instead of councils is a huge concern,“ Council’s Planning and Organisation Committee Chair Frank Wilkie said.
“So are proposals to reduce public notification periods for impact assessable developments. If enacted, there would also be no requirement for applicants to publicly advertise impact assessable developments in local newspapers.
“Both of these measures reduce the capacity of residents to become aware of, and make submissions on, developments affecting their communities.“
Cr Tony Wellington added to the staff recommendations at council’s general committee meeting, on Monday 12 January.
He said proposed changes to wording around designated community infrastructure within the legislation could allow developers to circumvent planning scheme requirements and infrastructure charges.
“And while we’re on the subject of infrastructure charges, how is it that the maximum charges prescribed by legislation remain unchanged since being introduced in 2011?” Cr Wellington said.
“These are the fees that developers pay as contribution towards essential public facilities that benefit the community.
“The great hypocrisy here is that the State Government adds 3.5 per cent annual indexation to its own fees and charges, yet we can’t index our infrastructure charges to keep up with rising costs.
“In the end, it’s the community that has to make up the difference in costs.”
Cr Wilkie said the draft reforms also sought to remove the onus on a developer to prove a public benefit for a development application that conflicts with the planning scheme.
“It’s important residents who appreciate Noosa’s points of difference make submissions about these reforms to the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning or their local member,“ he said.
The letter to the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning is expected to be sent this week.