SWEEPING RESIDENTIAL PLANNING REFORMS WELCOMED

Stuart Clues, HIA Executive Director, said “ Tasmania has one of the worst residential planning systems in the country.

“Ordinary Tasmanians have been required to wade through a slow, cumbersome and inconsistent set of residential planning schemes that has been in need of a complete overhaul for decades.

“Good residential planning should require the tough and important decisions made at the time the subdivision is approved not when ordinary families are seeking to build a family home.

“The number of lots, footprint of the houses, and composition of units versus houses are all decisions that should be made up front.

“The current planning system forces councils to get involved in micro details such as set backs, height restrictions, parking, landscaping and what way the front door faces….which is simply a waste of everyone’s time and money.”

“The amount of unnecessary bureaucratic detail imposed by the existing archaic residential planning schemes is more suited to the construction of a nuclear waste dump than standard family home, renovation or carport.” said Mr Clues

HIA has been calling upon the State Government and successive Planning Ministers to follow the lead of other states such as NSW and Queensland and introduce a single Residential Code to help all Tasmanians across the State.

Mr Clues said, “A single Residential Code sets the basic planning rules and provided you comply with them there is no need for additional Planning Approval….just Building and Plumbing Approvals would be required…reducing the time frames for paperwork from many months to a just a couple of weeks.

“Under the Residential Planning Reforms agreed with Minister Llewellyn the State Government will introduce a single Residential Code by April 2010.

“Tasmanian builders are currently reporting planning delays of up to 8-12 weeks despite the State Government regulations mandating a 42 day turn around on planning applications.

By contrast NSW recently introduced a state-wide residential code and HIA members in that state are reporting planning approvals within 10 days”.

Stuart Clues said, “The current planning system can be dramatically improved to the benefit of ordinary Tasmanians, councils and the wider economy with the introduction of a single Residential Planning Schedule.

“There are currently 37 planning schemes being administered by 29 councils and despite their best efforts Tasmanian families, builders and investors are left to wallow in the mess.  

“In Tasmania you only have to cross a street to be in a new planning jurisdiction with different requirements for things like building setbacks from the edge of the block, height, and proximity to o the r buildings.

Under the reforms announced today each council would still make the decision about whether a building complies with the planning regulations but difference is they will all be singing from the same hymn sheet and most importantly everyone else will know the rules. 

Standardised Residential Planning zonings and Schedules would free council planners to deal with more complex planning matters such as significant commercial projects, infrastructure development or individual heritage or environmental cases.

Earlier this year HIA welcomed State Opposition Leader, Will Hodgman’s announcement that the Liberals would establish a single, Statewide Residential Planning Code. 

The Liberals recognised that this would significantly reduce the planning bureaucracy, aid investment, and deliver more consistency in the application of planning schemes.

Stuart Clues said, “HIA is pleased that both the major parties are now committed to the introduction of a single residential code and P1 development for the construction of residential homes”

“In addition to the Residential Code HIA has secured a Planning Directive from the Minister to introduce P1 (As of Right) provisions into an additional 7 Planning Schemes to assist residential planning across the state.

“The Planning Directive applies to Brighton , Kingsborough, Sorell, West Tamar, Glamorgan Spring Bay , Georgetown and Central Coast Planning Schemes.”

Stuart Clues stated, “HIA and the industry will be working with all parties to ensure the commitments announced today for P1 (Permitted Use) and Single Residential Code to apply across the state are fully implemented with in the promised time frames of April 2010.

“These planning reforms are welcome and could not come at a better time for Tasmanian home owners.

“2010 is going to be a difficult year for potential home owners without having to contend with an antiquated planning system…..ordinary Tasmanians will be facing increasing interest rates, removal of the First Home Owners Boost, new 5 Star regulations and bushfire codes all of which come with a cost.”