Planning administration is changing following the NSW election. The full impacts won’t be known until the new arrangements start operating, but we already have concerns.

The powers of the Office of Environment and Heritage and the Office of Local Government have been transferred to the Premier or the new Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (formerly Planning and Environment).

The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces now has responsibility for over 100 Acts including:
• The Local Government Act;
• Planning related Acts:
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 No 203
Land and Environment Court Act 1979 No 204
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 No 80.

Now that the Office of Environment and Heritage been abolished, the submissions and assessments lodged as part of a planning consultation process by an independent agency will no longer be visible to the public. Instead, assessments and advice will go to internal managers and not into the public domain.

Better Planning Network provides more information.