Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2) 51 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Better Development Plans BETTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS The Hon. SANDRA KANCK Legislative Council BETTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS The Hon. SANDRA KANCK (15:12): By way of supplementary question, will the minister advise whether councils are obligated to follow the better development plans? If they decide not to, are they placed under any pressure? The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning BETTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (15:12): Obviously, the government wants some consistency in planning. The planning process is that councils will issue a statement of intent if they wish to amend current development plans, and they are required under the legislation to review those plans periodically—every five years. So, they come to the department. All development plan amendments are subject to a public consultation process, as is happening. It is clearly government policy that there should be some consistency in development plans across the state, and that is why we have introduced this project to ensure we get that consistency. As I indicated— The Hon. Sandra Kanck interjecting: The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: The Minister for Urban Development and Planning ultimately has to approve development plans on the advice of Planning SA and, if there are issues, on occasions the Development Policy Advisory Committee (DPAC) will report to me as minister in relation to issues that may arise under the consideration of a development plan, and I take that into consideration. If they are development plans that affect heritage, we have LHAC (Local Heritage Advisory Committee) and other bodies that provide advice in relation to particular parts of development plans, but ultimately it is up to the minister to approve or reject development plans. I indicated in my answer that there is provision for local amendments. Obviously, with any development plan one could have in this state one will find that there are local variations unique to a particular area, so there is the option always in any development plan amendment process to allow for those unique local situations. It is obviously in the best interests of the state that we have the greatest level of consistency possible in relation to the expressions and zones used and so on. Why would one want different types of zones covering the same activities in different council areas? It can only be confusing to residents, developers and everyone else if there are those inconsistencies. That is one of the main benefits of the better development plan process. There is always the provision for local additions where there are unique factors.