The Property Council of Australia has hailed today’s reforms to the way major development is assessed in NSW as a breakthrough in the fight against red tape.
Today the Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning launched a new reform package to remove layers of approval processes, enabling investors in potential major new projects access to a much faster decision on whether it would be approved and what key conditions of consent would be.
NSW executive director Ken Morrison said the reforms will go a long way to reducing risk in investment decision making and would make NSW a more attractive place to invest.
“At a time when NSW is not experiencing the economic growth of other states we can’t afford to have major job generating projects locked up in processes which don’t add value,” Mr Morrison said.
“These reforms greatly simplify the planning process major projects need to go through.
“There will be one approval process, one decision and one set of conditions.
“For the first time decisions on major projects will be an integrated assessment, not a result of inter-departmental turf wars and single issue legislation.
“NSW has the most complex planning approval system in the country. We congratulate the Government on recognising this and taking action to remedy it.”
Mr Morrison said these reforms were critical if the Government was going to be able to implement its metropolitan strategy for Sydney once it is finalised.
“We will have an extra million people in Sydney in 25 years time.
“The Government needs to be able to ensure critical infrastructure and major urban renewal can be delivered to plan for orderly growth.
“Without these reforms, there is no guarantee the best laid strategy can be implemented.”
The Property Council said it would now set about reviewing the detail of the announcement and encouraging support for the reforms from the Parliament and the public.
Contact:
Ken Morrison, 0412 233 715 or 02 9033 1906
