There are two new types of infrastructure schemes that are being introduced under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016: a Basic Infrastructure Scheme and a General Infrastructure Scheme.
Basic Infrastructure Schemes
Basic Infrastructure Schemes will apply to defined ‘designated growth areas’ and provide the mechanism to ensure the delivery of infrastructure that is immediately needed to make a neighbourhood liveable, such as water, sewerage, gas, electricity, telecommunications, roads, bridges and stormwater management.
Specifically, Basic Infrastructure Schemes will support the following types of infrastructure:
- roads or causeways, bridges, culverts associated roads
- stormwater management infrastructure
- embankments, wells, channels, drains, drainage, earthworks connected with infrastructure
- water infrastructure and sewerage infrastructure (Water Industry Act 2012)
- communications networks
- electrical and gas infrastructure.
Basic Infrastructure Schemes will provide enhanced transparency and certainty around infrastructure funding arrangements for investors and communities by setting down what type of infrastructure will be provided within an area, who will fund it and when it will be delivered.
Through this type of scheme, basic infrastructure will be provided in step with the pace of development and delivered when actually needed, not at some time in the future.
Basic Infrastructure Schemes will also be useful for the coordinated delivery of infrastructure where there are complex land ownership arrangements or multiple landowners, thereby precluding the need to use infrastructure deeds.
General Infrastructure Schemes
General Infrastructure Schemes will help deliver a wider range of infrastructure than Basic Infrastructure Schemes and will include those related to health, education, community facilities, public transport, police, justice and emergency services. General Infrastructure Schemes will be especially important in generating urban renewal.
The types of infrastructure supported by General Infrastructure Schemes will include the following:
- water infrastructure and sewerage infrastructure (Water Industry Act 2012)
- communications networks
- electrical Infrastructure
- gas Infrastructure
- transport networks or facilities
- testing or monitoring equipment
- coast protection works or sand replenishment facilities.
The following types of infrastructure will also be covered by General Infrastructure Schemes and will require landowners to opt-in 100%.
- health, education or community facilities
- public transport
- police, justice or emergency services facilities.
General Infrastructure Schemes will be able to be used to facilitate partnerships between all levels of government and the private sector and have the potential to unlock considerable infrastructure investment.
General Infrastructure Schemes may also be used as leverage to attract additional funding sources, such as Commonwealth funding.
