The Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA SA) will request the State Government conduct an “independent and comprehensive review” of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act following strong advocacy from the Town of Gawler.

At the LGA SA’s Ordinary General Meeting in April, Council submitted a motion alongside the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters highlighting the lack of local government representation in the new planning system and calling for urgent intervention.

The motion, outlined below, was supported by South Australian councils across the state:

That the Ordinary General Meeting:

1. Note that the new planning system has resulted in a loss of community voices and local knowledge in its decision-making process;

2. Request the LGA to call on the State Government for an independent and comprehensive review of the Planning Development and Infrastructure Act and associated documents with respect to maintaining an effective and defensible democratic process in respect to:
   1. local participation in planning; 
   2. local government representation in planning; 
   3. the protection of local heritage places and historic areas; 
   4. the preservation of neighbourhood character through consideration of appropriate design principles; and including 
   5. undertaking an independent review of the Community Engagement Charter; and

3. Request the LGA to write to other relevant parties to express concern about the current state of planning in South Australia.

Council asserts that this motion is a positive step towards communities regaining better control over planning and development within their regions, along with having increased say in the decision-making process.

“It is important that the community can challenge development decisions, particularly when they believe it has a detrimental impact upon the prevailing character of their environment,” Gawler Mayor Karen Redman said.

“Adequate local representation on assessment panels is important and should not be dismissed as politics”.

“Essentially, the new system has stripped away third-party appeal rights, focusing on community engagement at the policy-making stage which has been a flawed process. It is vital that appeal rights are restored to allow appropriate community participation.”

Town of Gawler CEO Henry Inat added: "The first iterations of the code sought to provide a like for like transition from the Development Plan to the Planning and Design Code, however the transition has resulted in a loss of the previous localised planning policy".

“With the reduction in localised policy, community consultation, removal of residents third party appeal rights on planning merits and the narrowing of the scope of relevant planning considerations, the revised planning system has inherently reduced public confidence in the decision-making process," Mr Inat said.