The State Planning Policies set out a framework for land use that aims to improve the liveability, sustainability and prosperity of the state.
They provide the state-wide vision for South Australia’s planning and design system.
About this instrument
State Planning Policies represent the highest level of policy in our new planning system, and address the economic, environmental and social planning priorities for South Australia.
As a statutory instrument under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, the draft State Planning Policies outline the planning and design ambitions for South Australia and will guide both regional and metropolitan planning and development in the future.
Importantly, the policies consider changes to how and where South Australians live and work, as well as other important issues such as housing supply and diversity; climate change; and strategic transport infrastructure.
The State Planning Policies aim to provide greater direction, clarity and efficiency in our planning system and will help us respond to modern opportunities and challenges.
State Planning Policies define South Australia’s planning priorities, goals and interests as a framework for other state wide planning tools such as:
- Regional Planning
- Planning and Design Code
Simply, State Planning Policies are the overarching umbrella policies that pinpoint current and future planning issues and then set the directions for the planning system to respond. An example is the protection of the community from a range of hazards, such as bushfire, flooding or coastal erosion.
The new legislation sets out requirements for the preparation of the following State Planning Policies for the sustainable development of South Australia:
- Design Quality - to encourage high quality design
- Integrated Planning - to encourage integrated land use, transport and infrastructure planning
- Adaptive Re-Use - to encourage and support the adaptive reuse of buildings and places
- Climate Change - to minimise adverse effects of planning and development decisions on the climate and promote development that is resilient to climate change
- Biodiversity - to enhance biodiversity and minimise the adverse effects of development on biodiversity within the state
- Preservation of Special Areas - Special Legislative Schemes relate to any declared special legislative scheme, a character preservation law and the following Acts:
- The River Murray Act 2003
- The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005
- The Marine Parks Act 2007
- The Arkaroola Protection Act 2012
State Planning Policies are prepared and amended by the State Planning Commission at the request of the Minister for Planning and Local Government.
The first set of State Planning Policies are currently being prepared. A number of state agencies, through a State Planning Policy Reference Group, are assisting preparing the State Planning Policies relevant to their areas of interest.
It is envisaged that the first set of State Planning Policies will be consistent with the directions of the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide and other existing state government policies.
The Commission will conduct engagement on the State Planning Policies in accordance with the Community Engagement Charter. Formal consultation on the draft State Planning Policies with stakeholders and the public will occur in 2018.
At the end of the process, the Commission will provide a report to the Minister for Planning and Local Government including information about the engagement process and feedback received.
If the Minister decides to approve the State Planning Policies with or without amendment they will come into effect by notice in the Government Gazette and by providing the State Planning Policies on the PlanSA portal. The Commission’s report will also be provided on the PlanSA portal.
Parliamentary scrutiny of the State Planning Policies will also take place with a referral to the Environment Resource Development Committee of Parliament.
The role of State Planning Policies in development assessment varies depending on the assessment pathway.
- Code Assessed Development – these applications are assessed against the Planning and Design Code policy, informed by the State Planning Policies.
- Environment Impact Statement – State Planning Policies have a role in the preparation of Environmental Impact Statement. This must include a statement of the extent to which the impacts of development would be consistent with relevant State Planning Policies, and must provide any commitments regarding avoidance, mitigation or management consistent with the provisions of any special legislative scheme.
State Planning Policies will also influence an agency’s referral role by setting out state interests up front.
In providing advice to the Minister for Planning and Local Government regarding the establishment of any Infrastructure Scheme, the State Planning Commission must take into consideration any relevant State Planning Policy.
The Minister, may, on the advice of the Commission, set performance targets on any goal, policy or objective within a State Planning Policy.
These enable the monitoring of progress towards achieving the goals and the extent to which the goal is achieved.
Targets may be monitored, reviewed, withdrawn and may be periodically published.
Consultation
Closed 21 September 2018
This consultation has closed.
State Planning Policies are a key instrument in the modernisation of our new planning system, the scope of which is described in the new Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.
They represent the highest level of policy in our new planning system. They outline matters of importance to the state in land use planning, development and design and provide a state-wide framework that aims to enhance our liveability, sustainability and prosperity.
Importantly, the policies consider changes to how and where South Australians live and work; current and future trends in population growth; climate change; and other social and economic drivers.
As a statutory instrument under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, the State Planning Policies outline the planning and design ambitions for South Australia and will guide both regional and metropolitan planning and development in the future. Your input has been used to develop the final draft which has been submitted to cabinet for endorsement.
A What We Have Heard report based on feedback received has been circulated to all engagement participants and published on the PlanSA Portal.
Documents
Submissions
- 001 - Penny Paton.pdf (85.7 KB, PDF File)
- 002 - DPTI Assest Management.pdf (115.9 KB, PDF File)
- 003 - Sarah McKenzie.pdf (36.4 KB, PDF File)
- 004 - AUSVEG SA.pdf (331.9 KB, PDF File)
- 005 - Rowena Dunk.pdf (107.3 KB, PDF File)
- 006 - Ann Woolf.pdf (32.6 KB, PDF File)
- 007 - Coast Protection Board.PDF (363.2 KB, PDF File)
- 009 - City of Charles Sturt.pdf (917.1 KB, PDF File)
- 010 - Prospect Residents Association Inc.PDF (485.7 KB, PDF File)
- 011 - City of Tea Tree Gully.pdf (474.9 KB, PDF File)
- 012 - Australian Pipelines and Gas Association.pdf (210.1 KB, PDF File)
- 013 - SEA Gas.pdf (748.3 KB, PDF File)
- 014 - Light Regional Council.pdf (291.7 KB, PDF File)
- 015 - City of Victor Harbor.pdf (120.0 KB, PDF File)
- 016 - Town of Gawler.pdf (533.6 KB, PDF File)
- 017 - AMLRNRM Board.pdf (602.3 KB, PDF File)
- 018 - The Barossa Council.pdf (163.6 KB, PDF File)
- 019 - SA Housing Authority.pdf (127.9 KB, PDF File)
- 020 - Boral Land and Property Group.pdf (51.1 KB, PDF File)
- 021 - Tamika Lapic.pdf (146.2 KB, PDF File)
- 022 - Campbelltown Council.pdf (121.1 KB, PDF File)
- 023 - SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board.PDF (641.8 KB, PDF File)
- 024 - Carly Thomson.pdf (360.9 KB, PDF File)
- 025 - Margaret Minney.pdf (15.2 KB, PDF File)
- 026 - Ivy Blacker.pdf (122.9 KB, PDF File)
- 027 - Australian Pork Limited.pdf (183.3 KB, PDF File)
- 028 - City of Holdfast Bay.PDF (945.2 KB, PDF File)
- 029 - City of Salisbury.PDF (153.2 KB, PDF File)
- 030 - Mount Barker District Council.PDF (298.1 KB, PDF File)
- 031 - David Ness.pdf (137.2 KB, PDF File)
- 032 - Alexandrina Council.pdf (155.0 KB, PDF File)
- 033 - City of Adelaide.pdf (660.1 KB, PDF File)
- 034 - St Peters Residents Assocation Inc.pdf (82.5 KB, PDF File)
- 035 - Lucy Fordham.pdf (90.1 KB, PDF File)
- 036 - City of Playford.pdf (77.1 KB, PDF File)
- 037 - Anne Wharton.pdf (15.6 KB, PDF File)
- 038 - Australian Institute of Building Surveyors.pdf (237.8 KB, PDF File)
- 039 - Fred Morris.pdf (17.1 KB, PDF File)
- 040 - City of Port Adelaide Enfield.pdf (289.5 KB, PDF File)
- 041 - Green Industries SA.pdf (110.6 KB, PDF File)
- 042 - Lyn Whitmarsh.pdf (14.3 KB, PDF File)
- 043 - City of Burnside.pdf (429.3 KB, PDF File)
- 044 - Anne Stow-Smith.pdf (13.2 KB, PDF File)
- 045 - City of Prospect.pdf (177.3 KB, PDF File)
- 046 - Carol Faulkner.pdf (17.1 MB, PDF File)
- 047 - Local Government Association.pdf (323.7 KB, PDF File)
- 048 - Native Vegetation Council.pdf (191.2 KB, PDF File)
- 049 - Australian Institute of Architects - South Australia.pdf (285.2 KB, PDF File)
- 050 - Bev Steed.pdf (33.7 KB, PDF File)
- 051 - Kangaroo Island Council.pdf (339.6 KB, PDF File)
- 052 - Grain Producers SA.pdf (67.6 KB, PDF File)
- 053 - Alexander Wilkinson Design.pdf (2.3 MB, PDF File)
- 054 - Adelaide Plains Council.pdf (222.3 KB, PDF File)
- 055 - Residents for Environment and Character Conservation.pdf (55.3 KB, PDF File)
- 056 - City of West Torrens.pdf (769.8 KB, PDF File)
- 057 - Property Council of Australia.pdf (983.0 KB, PDF File)
- 058 - Housing Industry Association.pdf (364.6 KB, PDF File)
- 059 - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects SA.pdf (213.2 KB, PDF File)
- 060 - Shirley Rowe.pdf (118.9 KB, PDF File)
- 061 - Kensington Residents Association.pdf (724.2 KB, PDF File)
- 062 - Conservation Council of SA Inc.pdf (709.9 KB, PDF File)
- 063 - City of Mitcham.pdf (149.7 KB, PDF File)
- 064 - Nicholas Bury.pdf (37.4 KB, PDF File)
- 065 - Ming-Chun Yen.pdf (139.0 KB, PDF File)
- 066 - Social Planners Network.pdf (873.2 KB, PDF File)
- 067 - Norwood Residents Association.pdf (274.6 KB, PDF File)
- 068 - City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters.pdf (3.5 MB, PDF File)
- 069 - The Heart Foundation.pdf (1.1 MB, PDF File)
- 070 - Adelaide Airport Ltd.pdf (102.5 KB, PDF File)
- 071 - SA Independent Retailers.pdf (780.0 KB, PDF File)
- 072 - Ammun Luca.pdf (93.8 KB, PDF File)
- 073 - Lyn OGrady.pdf (38.4 KB, PDF File)
- 074 - City of Unley.pdf (524.5 KB, PDF File)
- 075 - Australian Institute of Urban Studies SA, the Comission for Children and Young People, Adelaide Sustainable Building Network.pdf (1.7 MB, PDF File)
- 076 - City of Onkaparinga.pdf (191.7 KB, PDF File)
- 077 - Nature Conservation Society of SA.pdf (1.1 MB, PDF File)
- 078 - The Rural City of Murray Bridge.pdf (112.2 KB, PDF File)
- 079 - Resilient Hills and Coasts.pdf (291.6 KB, PDF File)
- 080 - Planning Institute Australia, SA Division.pdf (468.4 KB, PDF File)
- 081 - Anne Daw.pdf (529.1 KB, PDF File)
- 085 - Premiers Climate Change Council.PDF (280.8 KB, PDF File)
- 086 - Resilient East.pdf (1.1 MB, PDF File)
- 087 - Adelaide Hills Council.pdf (225.6 KB, PDF File)
- 088 - Regional Development Australia Murrylands and Riverland.pdf (453.4 KB, PDF File)
- 089 - Amanda Vance.pdf (680.5 KB, PDF File)
- 090 - Phil Davis.pdf (42.6 KB, PDF File)
- 091 - South Australian Heritage Council.pdf (729.4 KB, PDF File)
- 092 - Australian Tiny House Association.pdf (1.6 MB, PDF File)
- 093 - APA Group.pdf (330.6 KB, PDF File)
- 094 - Colin Hansen.pdf (56.8 KB, PDF File)
- 095 - Bunnings.pdf (145.6 KB, PDF File)
- 096 - District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula.pdf (62.8 KB, PDF File)
- 097 - Australia ICOMOS Secretariat, Deakin University.pdf (176.9 KB, PDF File)
- 098 - Joanne Manual.pdf (41.3 KB, PDF File)
- 099 - Colin Murray.pdf (789.4 KB, PDF File)
- 100 - Regional Development Australia - Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains.pdf (296.4 KB, PDF File)
- 101 - Ben Wells.pdf (132.7 KB, PDF File)
- 102 - Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.pdf (238.6 KB, PDF File)
- 103 - Adelaide Co-Housing obo The Verge Cohousing Community.pdf (162.7 KB, PDF File)
- 104 - National Trust of South Australia.pdf (556.7 KB, PDF File)
- 105 - Anne Daw.pdf (597.8 KB, PDF File)
- 106 - David Morris.pdf (395.9 KB, PDF File)
- 107 - The Bicycle Institute of South Australia.pdf (196.7 KB, PDF File)
- 108 - Environment Protection Authority.pdf (668.8 KB, PDF File)
- 109 - The Copper Coast Council, Yorke Peninsula Council and Barunga West Council.pdf (851.3 KB, PDF File)
- 110 - Barbara Stopp.pdf (121.8 KB, PDF File)
- 111 - Large Format Retail Association.pdf (1.3 MB, PDF File)
- 112 - Karen Ballard.pdf (117.3 KB, PDF File)
- 113 - Cr Christel Mex.pdf (115.7 KB, PDF File)
- 114 - Architecture and Access Aust Pty Ltd.pdf (124.0 KB, PDF File)
- 115 - Tim Kelly.pdf (99.3 KB, PDF File)
- 116 - Mary Morris.pdf (698.3 KB, PDF File)
- 117 - Shopping Centre Council of Australia.pdf (216.1 KB, PDF File)
- 119 - Des Fowles.pdf (48.9 KB, PDF File)
- 120 - Elaine Dyson.pdf (49.5 KB, PDF File)
- 121 - Dr Susan Shannon.pdf (21.2 KB, PDF File)
- 123 - Community Alliance South Australia.pdf (584.6 KB, PDF File)
- 125 - Horticulture Coalition of SA.pdf (886.0 KB, PDF File)
- 126 - South West City Community Association Inc.pdf (245.1 KB, PDF File)
- 127 - PIRSA - late submission.pdf (4.1 MB, PDF File)
- 128 - Primary Producers SA - late submission.pdf (438.8 KB, PDF File)
- 129 - McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association.pdf (98.7 KB, PDF File)
- 130 - CFS - late submission.pdf (351.7 KB, PDF File)
- 131 - Urban Development Institute of Australia.pdf (644.8 KB, PDF File)
- 132 - Green Building Council of Australia - late submission.pdf (903.1 KB, PDF File)
- 133 - Department of Environment and Water.pdf (4.5 MB, PDF File)
- 135 - Anne Stow-Smith - late submission.pdf (47.2 KB, PDF File)
- 136 - Shopping Centre Council of Australia - late submission.pdf (188.8 KB, PDF File)
- 137 - South East Natural Resources Management Board - late submission.pdf (3.1 MB, PDF File)
- 138 - URPS - late submission.pdf (175.7 KB, PDF File)
- 139 - Barbara Clayton - late submission.pdf (46.8 KB, PDF File)
- 140 - Mark Parnell MP - late submission.pdf (116.7 KB, PDF File)
- 140b - Mark Parnell MP - late submission.pdf (145.3 KB, PDF File)
- 141 - Master Builders South Australia.pdf (1.1 MB, PDF File)
- 142 - JA Rovensky - late submission.pdf (187.7 KB, PDF File)
Documents
If you can't find a document, try searching PlanSA's resources library.
- State Planning Policies for South Australia - Special Legislative Schemes (PDF, 1648 KB)
- State Planning Policies for South Australia (Version 1.1 - 23 May 2019) (PDF, 4005 KB)
- State Planning Commission Engagement Report (PDF, 1101 KB)
- Media Release - Hon Stephan Knoll MP - State Planning Policies set out first state-wide land-use vision for South Australia (PDF, 129 KB)
- Communications and Engagement Plan - Draft State Planning Policies (PDF, 319 KB)