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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-17 Daily Xml
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CARAVAN PARKS

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:27): My question is to the Minister for Urban Development and Planning. Will the minister provide an update on progress in developing effective planning policies for caravan parks that provide greater certainty to caravan park operators and their tenants?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:28): I thank the honourable member for her question. Caravanning is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the tourism and hospitality industries. Caravan parks also provide diverse and affordable housing. Despite this growth in demand, it is possible that some caravan parks could be lost to other forms of development due to rising property values in attractive locations.

The honourable member will recall that until recently there was no specific zoning requirement for caravan and tourist parks in South Australia. In December 2007 the Residential Parks and Caravan and Tourist Parks Development Policy Amendment came into interim operation. Prior to this development plan amendment, 47 different types of zoning applied to caravan park sites across South Australia.

Most caravan park sites in Adelaide and near country areas have now been rezoned to one of two specific purpose caravan park zonings: the caravan and tourist park zone, which is for caravan parks entirely or predominantly used by tourists for short-term stays, with only a minority (if any) of the park dedicated to long-term accommodation; or a residential park zone, which is for caravan parks primarily used to meet the demands of long-term residents and a minority of tourists.

These two new zones ensure that caravan parks are specifically designated and protected from redevelopment outside of their current use unless rezoning is sought and gained. As part of the introduction of the interim development plan amendment, a community consultation process was carried out through the Independent Development Policy Advisory Committee.

Three public meetings were held by DPAC, following the close of the public consultation period, at Adelaide, Victor Harbor and Gawler. To augment this consultation process, I also established a working group to advise me on the best course of action for a more permanent solution to the issue of caravan parks zoning. The working group consisted of members from relevant government agencies associated with the caravan tourist and residential parks industry. The group has been providing advice on the criteria for establishing the economic viability of caravan tourist and residential parks to identify areas for future park sites.

The group also helped to develop an appropriate process for rezoning existing sites. Having considered the DPAC report and the advice of the Residential Parks and Caravan and Tourist Parks Working Group, I approved the development plan amendment on 11 December 2008.

Since that time, the Environment, Resources and Development Committee, which has a statutory role in scrutinising ministerial development plan amendments, wrote to me to recommend removing the Adelaide Caravan Park from the DPA and to consider amendments to the Dalkeith Caravan Park.

I can inform honourable members that I have accepted the committee's advice, and those amendments recommended by the ERDC were gazetted on 29 October 2009. I thank members of the ERD Committee for their contribution to that quite important but complicated development plan amendment.

This government's objective is to provide greater certainty, simplicity and consistency to the land zoning for caravan parks. By replacing the array of different zoning, the Rann Labor government is providing certainty to caravan park users, residents and neighbours about the future use of caravan park sites.

These two new types of zoning have not changed the ownership of land or land tenure of any existing caravan park site. The zoning policies have been inserted into the development plans of the 17 local councils in order to guide the development of proposed caravan parks. The policies ensure that any new parks are located to provide appropriate access to public services and facilities, as well as a safe environment.

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