Streamlining Merit Assessment

 

As part of its Planning Reforms 2008 package, the State Government is also introducing a number of measures to speed traditional merit assessment processes.

Many of these measures will require changes to legislation to be approved by State Parliament. A legislative package will be developed to be introduced during the Spring 2008 sittings of Parliament.

The measures proposed include:

Standardising information requirements

A new handbook outlining standard information requirements for different types of application will be developed for universal use by all councils. This will ensure different councils do not require different information (or information that is not required under the Development Regulations) and lead to an improvement in the quality of development applications.

Reducing use of ‘stop the clock’ provisions

Often when assessing applications councils will ‘stop the clock’ on the time allowed for the assessment in order to request more information from an applicant.

Councils and referral agencies will be limited to one ‘stop the clock’ opportunity to request additional information from an applicant. If required, this request must be made within 14 working days of the application being lodged. This will prevent multiple use of stop the clock by councils to request further information.

Assessing authorities will be able to refuse an application if the additional information is not supplied within 30 working days of the request being made. A limited stop the clock capacity of 10 working days will be introduced for where an applicant is making improvements to an application.

Publishing performance data

The Government has been collecting performance data from councils and state agencies which participate in the assessment process for 24 months. This data has been used in informal negotiations with councils to improve system performance. The extent of the data collected will be expanded, and the data now published on a regular basis.

Sanctions for not meeting timeframes

If an application for a complying development is not assessed within two weeks of the required statutory timeframe (10 working days for planning consent, 20 working days for building consent), then the application can be deemed as ‘refused’. This will expose councils to appeal in the Courts.

Reducing referrals

The Government will explore means for further reducing the number of formal and informal referrals of applications to state agencies for advice.

Electronic lodgement and assessment processes

The Government is partnering with the Local Government Association to increase electronic lodgement and assessment processes for development applications.

Improving the private certification industry

The Government will investigate ways to improve the quality of the private certification industry through greater training and the establishment of an independent board to set standards, a code of practice, and to oversee private certifier performance.

Once these measures are in place, the Government will explore providing greater powers to private certifiers to give ‘as of right’ planning and building approvals.

Further information