Page 3934 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 15 Sept 2009
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assessment, technical issues with implementation of the new system and, of course, the global financial crisis. In many ways the challenges to the system post March 2008 and the timely responses to them are as significant as the initial reform process.
Let me take a moment to illustrate some of the reforms and refinements made since March 2008 in the key areas of administration, supporting IT development, territory plan variations and regulations. In response to industry commentary about elements of the new system which were not working as well as intended, the ACT Planning and Land Authority announced its ACTPLAn initiative in December 2008. This initiative was a comprehensive plan of action which included: the re-allocation of additional staff to assist in processing a large influx of applications; the improvements to customer service and related support functions; streamlining coordination arrangements between ACTPLA and TAMS; and the commencement of a project to codify various standards by TAMS to enable staff to make a range of decisions against established criteria without having to refer the application to TAMS for comment.
These initiatives on their own have made a significant difference in reducing time taken to process and assess applications. Importantly, ACTPLAn also resulted in the establishment of an industry monitoring group to improve communication between government and industry and to provide a forum for the identification and rectification of barriers to achieving timely and effective development outcomes for the ACT. This IMG includes representatives from the Housing Industry Association, the Master Builders Association and the Property Council of Australia. It is convened by ACTPLA and has representatives from TAMS. I note that the IMG has expressed its support of this bill.
I think one of the most fundamental reforms to the planning system is the decision to remove classes of development from the requirement to lodge a development application. This happened through a number of progressive regulation changes from March through to this year. Significantly, these exceptions now include single residences. Single residences that comply with the relevant territory plan codes now no longer require development approval, but still require building approval. There are a number of new exceptions for minor matters in relation to windows, external doors, enclosures, signs, shade sails and the like. There has also been significant expansion or relaxation of the exemption design rules to permit structures to be higher, wider and larger.
In addition to expanding the range of exempt developments, significant reforms have been made to the actual operations of the exemption rules or criteria. The rules now permit multiple exempt structures to be built at the same time. Importantly, the exemption rules now give a builder of a single residence the ability to apply to ACTPLA for permission to exceed an exemption limit in minor ways, provided there are no environmental or third party impacts.
These processes, in association with the expanded building tolerances, are significant, innovative reforms in themselves that will continue to significantly reduce the need for development applications for trivial matters. The territory plan requirements for utility endorsement of exempt development such as clearances from ActewAGL have been simplified or removed. Utility endorsement is no longer an impediment for
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