Image: Eugene, The Conversation

The NSW Government is proposing further amendments to the State planning laws.  The community has until Friday 31 March 2017 to comment.  Follow this link to make your submission.

Worrying changes that are proposed:

• Weaker requirements to achieve ecologically sustainable development
• Poor standards for native species protection under the biodiversity legislation
• Department of Planning will be able to override advice from other expert agencies if approval time frames aren’t met.

Corymbia maculata, artist Edward Minchin

Some positive changes:

• Another nail in the coffin of ‘Part 3A’ (the major projects law that failed on community engagement, transparency, accountability and environmental protection).
• New public participation plans and clearer exhibition periods
• New local planning panels to improve transparency in decision making.

Changes that are concerning and should be included:

• Strengthen the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment in major developments
• Address climate change in plan making and development decisions
• Protect community appeal rights to appeal:  reinstate third party merit appeals.

This Briefing note from Environment Defenders Office outlines the proposed changes and their implications.  You can also check their PODCAST:  NSW Planning law reforms, Environment Defenders Office.

Suburban tree canopy (Annie Charlton)

The Baird Government is proposing to expand the definition of ‘code complying development’ to include Medium Density buildings.  You wont need to put in a Development Application to get approval to build townhouses, terraces, manor homes (2 up, 2 down) and dual occupancies on lot sizes of more than 200 sq. m per dwelling.

Neighbours and the broader community won’t have the opportunity to comment or object.  Private certifiers employed by the developer will have control. This is a gift to commercial developers.  See more here.

We encourage people to send their comments.  Submissions close Friday 23 December codes@planning.nsw.gov.au .  Some key points:

• There will be no way to maintain the character and/or amenity of our suburbs
• Existing infrastructure, tree clearing, bush fires, flood mitigation, storm water runoff, privacy and topography would not be assessed
• There are already serious concerns about private certifiers giving the green light to non-compliant developments
• This poses a broad scale threat to existing ‘backyard’ vegetation or tree canopy – resulting in loss of open space, climate change mitigation and biodiversity.

Read what HHT had to say: Submission on Medium Density Housing Code.