01 Feb, 2023

City submits planning feedback

The City of Adelaide has made 38 recommendations to the State Government’s independent Planning System Implementation Review.

Following extensive community consultation and two workshops with Councillors, the City of Adelaide submitted its 75-page response to the independent panel this morning.

The new Planning System is important, providing clarity to the community as well as developers to ensure the process supports quality and timely developments. There are many elements which work well, such as its transparency and the ability to easily track development proposals.

The Council review has focused on several key opportunities to improve the planning system as it currently operates, specifically for the city and North Adelaide, with a particular focus on:

• Vision for the city centre with corresponding design standards
• Greater opportunities for the public and Council to appeal decisions
• Improvements to public notification, ensuring impacted parties are directly notified
• One Act for heritage protection, replacing the current dual State and Local systems
• Policy to prevent premature demolition to avoid vacant blocks
• Investment in greening to futureproof tree canopy and cooling strategies

Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said the review was an important opportunity to refine the significant changes made to the planning and design code by the previous State Government.

“This was a chance for Council to hear the desires of our rate payers, who provided some strong feedback during community consultation as well as expert advice on how the new system has been operating on a day-to-day basis,” said the Lord Mayor.

“One of the consistent themes emerging through this process has been the need for greater community involvement, both in the initial notification phase and then any subsequent appeals processes.

“We need a vision for the city and North Adelaide which balances progressive development with heritage protection, while adhering to consistent design standards.

“As a Council, we have an emphasis on increasing the population in the CBD, so it’s important we encourage a long-term planning strategy which complements Adelaide’s identity with the need for new and sustainable development.

A copy of the City of Adelaide submission to the Independent Planning System Implementation Review can be found here.

Jack Berketa