The State Planning Commission has been established as the state’s independent, principal planning body that provides advice and makes recommendations on the administration of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

The State Planning Commission guides decision-making of state government, local government and community and business organisations with respect to planning, development and infrastructure provisions in South Australia.

The Commission was established on 1 April 2017 with the commencement of new planning Act.

Commission Members

The Commission comprises four members with widespread expertise in planning, urban design, construction, economics and public policy and an ex officio representative from the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).

Members are appointed by the Governor, on the recommendation of the Minister for Planning. The Commission’s inclusion of one ex officio member from DPTI assists the Commission in its administration of the new Act.

On 5 October 2018, Mr Michael Lennon was appointed to the position of Chairperson of the Commission following the resignation of former Supreme Court Justice Mr Tim Anderson QC who had held the position since 7 March 2017.

Assisting the Chairperson is Mr Allan Holmes, Ms Helen Dyer and Mr Craig Holden. Ms Sally Smith, the DPTI General Manager, Planning and Development is appointed as the ex officio member.

How the Commission Works

The State Planning Commission will ensure that a high benchmark in both public integrity and contemporary land use planning in Australia is achieved as a result of the new Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

In view of this, one of the first orders of business for the Commission is to establish its strategic governance framework and operating procedures. Indeed, during its first year of operation the Commission will have a focus of the following aspects to enable it to administer its duties and responsibilities under the PDI Act through 2017 and beyond:

the expectation for the Commission in its first year of operations
establishment of the Commission’s Charter, operating procedures and delegations
establishment of the Commission’s assessment sub-committee and sub-committee structure

Principles of Good Planning

Much of the work undertaken by the Commission will be guided by the ‘principles of good planning’ outlined in the new legislation. Under these principles, the Commission’s work will:

have a long-term focus
be innovative and able to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities
encourage the renewal of existing suburbs to reduce our urban footprint
support high quality design which is accessible to people with differing needs and capabilities
promote the use of walking and cycling trails
support the liveability of suburbs through increased vegetation and more open space
facilitate investment in the development industry
promote the development of public transport of all types near suburbs, shopping and service areas and workplaces
promotes cooperation and integration between and among State Government agencies and local government.

To achieve this, the Commission will help the Minister and DPTI to create a planning system that:

is easily understood and consistent
enables people to digitally access planning information and undertake processes and transactions
promotes certainty for those proposing to undertake development
provides scope for innovation
promotes safe and efficient construction practices
provides financial schemes that support development and that can be used to capitalise on investment opportunities
promotes cooperation and integration between and among State Government agencies and local government.

Transitional Arrangements

The State Planning Commission will have a pivotal role in ensuring a smooth transition from the current system under the Development Act 1993 to the new system under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

The Commission is responsible for the development, delivery and ongoing management of many key elements of the new system which is why it was necessary to ensure it was able to commence operation as soon as possible after various sections of the PDI Act became live on 1 April 2017.

One of the first orders of business for the Commission was to determine its priorities to support the implementation of the new planning system.

It is important to note that although the Commission has now commenced, much of the planning system will operate as ‘Business as Usual’ under the Development Act 1993 until further notice. This includes the assessment of all development applications made under the Development Act.

Strategic Plan

The workload of the State Planning Commission will be significant in its first two to three years of operation as the elements of the new system are established and the planning instruments become operational.

Included in this are key responsibilities within the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 to lead planning policies, ensure genuine engagement with our community and effective delivery of the Planning and Design Code. In addition, the Commission will help focus future developments in a coordinated manner with the required and appropriate infrastructure provisions and provide guidance to local councils, practitioners and other users of the system in the delivery of a new planning services.

These core strategic initiatives are outlined in the Commission’s Strategic Plan 2019-2020.

Downloads

Strategic Plan 2019-2020 (PDF, 240 KB)

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