Government s draft planning legislation continues reform agenda

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Government’s draft planning legislation continues reform agenda

The Property Council has welcomed the release of the Palaszczuk Government’s draft planning legislation, which incorporates many of the Property Council’s recommendations to streamline the planning system, reduce the cost of housing and provide certainty for the community and development industry alike.

Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council, Chris Mountford, said the Planning Bill 2015 and associated legislation reinforces the consensus that has emerged across stakeholders and political divides that a better planning and development assessment system is a priority for Queensland.

“The Planning Bill 2015 has retained many of the former Government’s commonsense reform initiatives that were proposed in earlier drafts of new planning legislation and in the Private Members’ Bills introduced into Parliament in June,” Mr Mountford says.

“In addition, the draft bills introduce many of the positive initiatives foreshadowed in the Government’sBetter Planning for Queensland Directions Paper released in May, including the introduction of a statutory guideline to promote better engagement with the community early in the plan-making process.

“The property industry directly employs 12.1% of the State’s workforce and produces 11.4% of Queensland’s Gross State Product; a modern and simplified State planning system is required to drive further growth in this important industry.

“The Property Council looks forward to providing further feedback on the draft bill prior to its introduction into Parliament later this year, and throughout the subsequent deliberative process.”