A new Authority is to be created as part of the Territory’s Planning System Review and Reform Project to improve planning standards in the national capital.
Announcing the creative change, the Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman said the new Territory Planning Authority would be established under the recently introduced Planning Bill 2022 to replace the existing ACT Planning and Land Authority.
“The Planning Bill 2022 proposes a range of changes to the structure and function of our planning system and incorporates more than 300 pieces of industry and community feedback shared with us earlier this year,” Mr Gentleman said.
“Alongside streamlining Territory Plan Variation and Development Application processes, the Bill introduces a new tier within the planning system – district strategies,” he said.
“The nine district strategies will recognise that the needs of residents and businesses differ across the Territory.”
Mr Gentleman said that in the reformed planning system, the district strategies would protect and promote the unique character, aspirations and values of each area in the ACT.
He said the Bill also introduced the use of Traditional Custodian knowledge and culture into planning and adapted the current ministerial call-in power for development applications into a power to declare proposals as Territory Priority Projects.
“This will increase transparency and accountability,” the Minister said.
“The focus is on creating a planning system that’s easier to use, more flexible and provides proponents with more certainty, as we respond to the challenges of climate change and population growth.”
