The NSW government has announced the key players in its new Joint Regional Planning Panels (JRPPs). The five panels made up of independent experts will replace local politicians in determining all applications over $10 million in construction value.
The 23 state-appointed members have expertise across a range of fields including town planning, management, architecture and law.
The new panels will consist of three state government appointed members and two members from a relevant local council. According to NSW planning minister Kristina Keneally this will provide a balance of expertise, independence and local knowledge.
The changes were welcomed by the industry for improving transparency in decision-making. The new panels could pave the way to an economic recovery in NSW, Urban Taskforce CEO, Aaron Gadiel, said.
According to Gadiel, the panel’s consistent and clear decision making could bring much-needed investment back to NSW. In the March quarter of 2009, work started on fewer new homes in NSW than ever previously recorded, he said.
“Work started on only 5,200 homes in NSW, compared with 9,100 in Victoria, 5,300 in Queensland and 28,100 across Australia.”
“These changes could pave the way to an economic recovery in NSW,” Gadiel said.
“This is a historic day and will mean politics will begin to be taken out of the planning assessments of projects,” said The Property Council’s NSW executive director, Ken Morrison. “The new regional planning panels will mean independent experts will determine an application based on its planning merits, not the politics of the day.”
