DELIVERING REAL PLANNING REFORMS TO UNLOCK MORE HOMES FOR TASMANIANS

Michael Ferguson MP, Treasurer, Minister for Planning

The Tasmanian Liberal Government continues to deliver on planning reform, to ensure that Tasmania has the most effective, strategically well-informed and efficient land use planning system in the country.

As we deliver for all Tasmanians and strengthen our economy, we are creating new ways to unlock more land in Tasmania to help people realise the dream of home ownership.

The 2022-23 Budget includes $2.5 million over the next two years for the continuation of the $3.45 million Regional Land Use Strategies 2021 election commitment. We have already made changes to the Southern Strategy to allow land adjacent to the urban growth boundary to be considered by the Commission for residential development in certain circumstances, and in the Northern Strategy we made changes to allow land already identified for potential urban growth to be similarly considered.

Further, a draft Greater Hobart Plan has been released by the Greater Hobart Committee for public consultation. This Plan outlines a considered and agreed vision and ‘growth’ strategy for the four Greater Hobart councils.

We are continuing to roll-out the implementation of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme: a single suite of planning rules applied consistently across our State. This is not a simple process, and we make no apologies for providing generous opportunities for councils and their communities to have their say, and to work with the Commission, to determine the most appropriate zoning of land.

Already 12 councils, including some of our smallest like West Coast and Tasman, have their Local Provisions Schedules approved and in effect, and the others are expected to progressively come into effect over the coming months, providing increased certainty and transparency for developers, planners, councils and the community.

Our councils are approving record numbers of housing proposals, and the industry tells me that they have more planning approvals and permits for housing in place than they currently have the capacity to build. Our councils are approving more development applications than ever before: around 11,500 in 2020-21 compared to just over 9,000 the previous year and less than 8,000 the year before that, and yet they are generally maintaining their approval efficiency, which is a credit to them.

This Government is committed to making housing more affordable and providing greater housing choice for Tasmanians.

Our Housing Land Supply Act has proven to be effective in providing a more direct and efficient process for the rezoning of suitable Government land for residential development, including social and affordable housing. This is allowing more houses to be built for Tasmanians than ever before.

Already we have provided more than 600 new lots for residential development through the Housing Land Supply process, and during the last parliamentary sitting session, we tabled another three Orders, which will deliver over 100 new lots in Burnie and Warrane.

We are also preparing Tasmanian Planning Policies, which will provide the high-level strategic oversight and policies and principles our planning system needs.

Finally, I was extremely pleased when the Tasmanian Planning Commission’s independent Panel granted a Major Project Permit for the New Bridgewater Bridge.