The ACT Government this week published its listening report based on four months of consultation about the draft new Territory Plan, draft district strategies, and the Explanation of Intended Effects for new design guides.
Planning minister Mick Gentleman said: “The community consultation on these documents was an important part of the reform project, and provides us with more ‘on-the-ground’ feedback from Canberrans on how this new system can set our city up for success as we grow over the coming decades.”
But the Canberra Liberals have called on the minister to adjourn debate on the Planning Bill.
Mr Gentleman presented the Planning Amendment Bill in September to replace and repeal the 2007 Planning and Development Act. It introduces a new tier in the planning system: nine district strategies for different parts of the ACT; creates a new entity, the Territory Planning Authority, to replace the ACT Planning and Land Authority; adapts the ministerial call-in power for development applications into a power to declare proposals as Territory Priority Projects; streamlines Territory Plan Variation and Development Application processes; and introduces Indigenous knowledge and culture into planning.
“With Canberra seeing a large amount of growth over the coming decades, the ACT Government is implementing a new planning system to help manage this growth to enable better outcomes for the community, including housing and infrastructure,” Mr Gentleman said.
The Planning System Review and Reform Project listening report, published by business management consultant Communication Link, found that the public:
- Generally supported the strengthened relationship between government policy and the planning system, and recognised that the planning reforms are a tool to respond to the housing shortage in the ACT.
- Did not understand how the various components of the proposed new planning system work together, and did not feel that the reforms made the planning system easier to understand and engage with.
- Were concerned whether the outcomes focussed approach to planning would be effectively implemented.
- Were worried about the potential loss of green open spaces and the effect on a suburb’s character.
- Did not think that the proposed new Plan was simpler.
- Supported the district strategy concept.
The public also provided feedback about areas of implementation, timeframes, transitional arrangements, appeal rights; increasing housing density with less negative impacts on existing communities; supporting documentation, content, and implementation of the Territory Plan; and the statutory weight and operation of the district strategies.
There was considerable feedback about the complexity of information released, the timeframes for feedback, and the need for further consultation across many aspects of the Project, from reviewing the next versions of the district strategies to the opportunity to comment on draft design guides.
The consultation period lasted from 1 November 2022 to 3 March this year. The report is based on more than 7,600 pieces of feedback, including 400 written submissions, 1,100 quick comments, 170 survey responses, and 2,200 contributions at pop-ups, workshops, Q&A sessions, and listening spaces.
“The listening report we have released has grouped and themed these contributions at a high level to demonstrate what we heard from the community,” Mr Gentleman said.
Ethos CRS will prepare a consultation report that “will take a deeper dive into the feedback”, Mr Gentleman said. It will include the government’s actions or response.
- ACT planning bill needs more planning (3 May)
- Planning Bill report – more work to do, some concerns (22 December 2022)
- ACT Government introduces reformed planning laws (21 September 2022)
- New planning legislation gives minister too much power, Liberals say (6 July 2022)
Canberra Liberals want debate adjourned
Canberra Liberals MLA Peter Cain, Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management, called upon Mr Gentleman to adjourn debate on the Planning Bill 2022 to consider the listening report’s findings.
The debate is scheduled for debate in the next sitting period of the ACT Legislative Assembly (31 May to 1 June).
“The Bill sets the foundation of our reformed planning system and gets the balance right with what we have heard from the community and the Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services’ inquiry,” Mr Gentleman said.
But Mr Cain said that the listening report supports his argument that the planning system review has failed in its purpose to restore trust and confidence in the ACT planning system.
“Throughout this planning system review, community stakeholders have been subjected to flawed consultation processes and ignored time and time again,” Mr Cain said.
“Now, this Labor-Greens government is pushing through this all-important Bill despite the fact the rest of the system is yet to be properly ironed out.
“There is no reason for this to be rushed, and the Planning Minister should adjourn debate on the Planning Bill until the findings of this listening report can be appropriately considered and implemented in the proposed reforms.
“The overarching areas of feedback that the listening report outlines many of the same concerns the Canberra Liberals have been expressing for some time now…
“It’s not too late for the Planning Minister to listen to Canberrans and pull the handbrake on these incomplete and ill-considered planning reforms.”
Greater Canberra
Greater Canberra, a community advocacy group for affordable and high-quality housing in Canberra, said the report showed support for medium density, but underrepresented young people’s views.
“Greater Canberra joined with the other members of the Missing Middle Canberra coalition to call for reform to the RZ1 and RZ2 zones to allow for more gentle density because we know that Canberrans are calling out for strong action to address both our housing and climate crises,” convenor Howard Mclean said.
“Today’s release of the Draft Territory Plan listening report shows a strong desire for the kinds of medium density typologies that Missing Middle Canberra’s proposed reforms would bring about.
“Notably, 71 per cent of YourSay survey respondents were supportive of universal RZ1 reform to enable dual occupancies. The report demonstrates that when concrete proposals for fair and transparent zoning reform are put on the table, the community supports them.
“Broad, universal reforms that allow more density to be spread across the city are better than piecemeal rezonings, such as the “Future Investigation Areas” and “Change Areas” proposed in the District Strategies, which cause confusion and pit different suburbs against each other.
“We remain concerned that the voices of young and vulnerable Canberrans are under-represented in the opt-in consultation that the report was based on. Just 13 per cent of those who filled out the YourSay survey were under 35. The ACT Government needs to reform consultation to capture a more balanced view of the community, rather than continuing to rely on methods that bias results towards a vocal anti-housing minority.
“Given how skewed the consultation’s demographics were, the significance of the widespread support for universal zoning reform and medium density housing cannot be understated. The ACT Government should act to incorporate ambitious RZ1 and RZ2 zoning reforms proposed by Missing Middle Canberra into the draft Territory Plan.
“At a time when we are facing continued housing and climate crises, the ACT Government cannot afford to let an unrepresentative yet loud minority stand in the way of ambitious action to allow more medium density homes, and create a more affordable and sustainable city.”
