PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT BILL 2020
548. Hon PETER COLLIER to the minister representing the
Minister for Planning:
My question without notice is asked
on behalf of Hon Tjorn Sibma.
I refer to a document on planning
reform provided by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage during a briefing
on the Planning and Development Amendment Bill 2020 and in particular section 4
of that document titled ''Cutting Red Tape in the Planning System''.
(1) Is the desired outcome of ''establishing a
new system to resolve conflicts with Main Roads Western Australia
following development approval'' dealt with in the bill; and, if so, in
what specific part of the bill?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If not by way
of this bill, can the minister elaborate on what the new system to resolve
conflicts with Main Roads will involve and the means by which it will be
implemented?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank Hon Tjorn Sibma for some
notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the Minister
for Planning.
(1) Part 17 will
have its own conflict resolution provisions, which can include dealing with
conflicts arising out of inconsistent approvals between Planning and Main Roads
WA. As outlined in answer to question without notice 544, it is the Local
Government (Uniform Local Provisions) Regulations 1996, not the Main Roads Act 1930,
that outlines that a person or local government wishing to construct a crossing
for vehicles from a public thoroughfare that is a government road must obtain
the written approval of the Commissioner of Main Roads. Greater and early
involvement of state agencies in the assessment process, in particular pre-lodgement meetings, will be held
with key agencies such as Main Roads to resolve conflict.
(2)–(3) As
the source of the issue is the Local Government (Uniform Local Provisions)
Regulations 1996, it is proposed that future
amendments will be made to these regulations rather than amending the Planning
and Development Act 2005. The government remains committed to this
reform and it should be seen as part of the government's broader
planning reform package, of which amendments to the Planning and Development
Act 2005 are just one part.