The planning challenge remains

The planning challenge remainsTASMANIAThe Property Council of Australia released the 2015 Development Assessment Report Card (3rd Edition) on Thursday; showing Tasmania was finding it challenging to deliver the much needed planning reforms promised by successive governments. Property Council of Australia Tasmanian Executive Director Brian Wightman said this report card is the most comprehensive review of the planning system in the state, and is based on the views of the people who use it on a daily basis.”We have excellent reform measures in progress, and we look forward to meaningful changes that make it easier for people on the ground to do their jobs,” Mr Wightman said.”Industry absolutely supports the work that the Planning Reform Taskforce is doing, and recognises that the government is committed to getting on with the job. “There’s no doubt we’re looking forward to a single state-wide scheme, however local government amalgamations alongside planning reform would have made the process simpler,” Mr Wightman said.Poor planning is holding up new housing and adding to costs for home buyers, finds the most comprehensive national assessment of Australia’s planning framework ever undertaken.NATIONALThe 2015 Development Assessment Report Card (3rd Edition) commissioned by the Property Council of Australia shows that more than a decade after agreeing to ten national principles for best practice development assessment, Australia’s states and territories are still lagging. Chief Executive Ken Morrison said the report shows most states and territories are making positive changes but urgently need to step up their planning reform efforts to take pressure off house prices.”Planning needs to be recognised as a tool to drive economic growth and address housing affordability – report card scores ranging from 5.6 to 7.7 simply don’t cut it,” Mr Morrison said.”While the scores reveal some gradual improvements against the planning principles, the results are still decidedly average across all Australian jurisdictions, stifling new housing, increasing costs and impacting affordability.”Poor planning and antiquated development assessment processes significantly drive up the price of housing and commercial projects.”The only really effective way to make housing more affordable is to build more homes, build them faster and at lower cost.”Our planning processes are the key to all these solutions.”The slow progress provides a leadership opportunity for the Commonwealth to incentivise reform to radically simplify processes, get more housing built and improve affordability,” Mr Morrison said.In addition to a series of state and territory based reforms, the report puts forward five key recommendations for reform, including:Zone more land for housing in inner, middle and outer ring suburbsSimpler planning systems and faster less politicised processesLess taxes on the production of new housing to lower prices for purchasersLink housing and jobs through new infrastructure and ensure new projects are accompanied by a housing and renewal growth plan Incentivise reform through federal leadershipA copy of the report is available at www.propertycouncil.com.auNational Media contact: Fiona Benson | M 0407 294 620 | E [email protected] Media contact: Brian Wightman | M 0429 073 773 | E [email protected]