The Assessment Improvements Code Amendment proposes technical amendments to enhance the general performance and operation of the Planning and Design Code.
The proposed changes have been informed by feedback from local council, planning industry professionals and other users of the Code.
The Code Amendment also forms part of the state government’s response to the Planning System Implementation Review, implementing some of the recommendations of the Expert Panel supported by the state government.
Monitoring and reviewing the Code and identifying where adjustments may be required in response to stakeholder feedback is an ongoing activity of the State Planning Commission and the Planning and Land Use Services division of the Department for Housing and Urban Development.
The draft Assessment Improvements Code Amendment builds upon the Miscellaneous Technical Enhancement Code Amendment, which came into effect on 1 June 2023, and similarly focused on addressing technical and operational elements within the Code, as opposed to changing policy intent or outcomes.
The key areas of focus in the draft Assessment Improvements Code Amendment include:
improvements to the Rules of Interpretation in response to recent case law
review of language and policy consistency
ensuring policies are reasonable and practical
improvements to Land Use and Administrative Definitions
review of Referrals to government agencies and industry.
Other areas reflected in the proposed amendments concern demolition policy for local heritage places and car parking rates for major open spaces.
Outcomes
The Assessment Improvements Code Amendment has now been finalised and adopted by the Minister for Planning.
As a result of the feedback received several adjustments were recommended to the Code Amendment across a range of areas.
View the full engagement report for more information about what we heard during the consultation and how stakeholder feedback was considered in finalising the Code Amendment.
Additionally, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD) through its work on infrastructure delivery, has identified an opportunity to further improve upon the recommendation put forth by the Commission in relation to the proposed changes to the Rules of Interpretation as outlined in section 4.1.3 Spatial Mapping Updates (s71e) of the Amendment.
The additional recommendation is for DHUD to allow for Concept Plans to be updated via section 71(e) of the Act to reflect a deed or agreement with a government agency or the relevant council where this relates to the provision of essential infrastructure.
