Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Development at Any Cost
NSW councils have called for the State Government to be reined in on planning reform, following news of a proposal to bypass Sydney communities on development approval processes.
In a surprise announcement at a developers' lunch yesterday, a senior bureaucrat said the Premier was considering establishing a body with compulsory acquisition powers to make decisions on land development in place of councils.
"The Iemma Government is obviously looking to by pass councils and its own planning rules to ensure that developments - whatever their impacts - are fast tracked," President of the Local Government Association of NSW, Cr Genia McCaffery said.
"This proposal would let the state government approve inappropriate developments, leaving councils and their communities to deal with the consequences - a lack of supporting infrastructure, poorly planned areas and as a result unhappy residents and unliveable communities.
"This is the worst relationship between a state government and local government I have ever encountered - there is simply no consultation or negotiation on what is best for communities.
"At what point is the State Government going to be held accountable for its decisions, which are being made to appease developers?
"It seems you have to go to developer lunches to find out what decisions the Government is making about planning in NSW."
The proposal follows a decision by the Government to cut Section 94 contributions, giving developers a windfall of $25,000 per lot in Western Sydney under the guise of housing affordability.
"The effect of the government's decision on developer contributions will be higher densities at the expense of residents' amenity - suburbs of houses with little or no community facilities to support people who buy into these new suburbs," Cr McCaffery added.
"For over two years local government has been asking the state government for infrastructure plans and funding commitments to support population growth.
"And all the while the sub-regional strategies for the Sydney metropolitan region - due for release more than a year ago - are only just being finalised by the Department of Planning.
"It is easy to say yes to a development. The harder job is making sure new suburbs have adequate services and infrastructure.
"The decisions being made by this government are resulting in a State that is open for businesses but not for communities."
Media Officer: Kristie Down - 0427 109 593
Media Comment: Cr Genia McCaffery - 0419 404 867
