The Property Council of Australia has called for a reform of the Sunshine State’s planning and development assessment system to reduce unnecessary financial burdens when building a house.
Local government planning schemes are a key focus of future reform says Chris Mountford, Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia.
Some of the planning schemes are over 4500 pages and a lengthy hindrance to local communities trying to understand the legalities involved and make their opinion heard.
“Whether you are renovating your house, or looking to develop a whole residential estate, wading through this mire of local laws adds time and money to your project,” Mountford said.
“At the end of the day, complex local planning laws add to the cost of building a house in Queensland.”
The Property Council is currently lobbying for all parties to support a publicly available independent review as part of the planning scheme approval process in local government.
The State government has introduced the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) within the last two years to coordinate state planning referrals, another important step in improving Queensland’s development assessment system.
