New assessment panel set to boost land division efficiency

The South Australian Government has delivered another significant Housing Roadmap initiative set to support the land division assessment process and avoid delays in the creation of land for new homes.

To expedite the assessment of applications for large scale land division proposing twenty (20) or more allotments, the government has created the Land Division Assessment Panel (LDAP), which is capable of assessing land division applications where councils have not met statutory assessment timeframes or where there have otherwise been delays with the assessment of applications.

Local councils and accredited planning and surveying professionals are required to assess an application for land division within statutory timeframes. When that timeframe isn’t met or there have been delays, the Minister for Planning may require that the LDAP assess and make an independent decision on the outcome of the application.

The LDAP’s seven members are appointed by the State Planning Commission. They hold diverse qualifications and experience in town planning, urban development and urban design, traffic and transport, civil and services engineering, master planning, and planning and infrastructure law.

The LDAP is a subcommittee of the State Planning Commission. The Commission has delegated its authority for the assessment of applications for land division functions to the LDAP.

The panel operates under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, the Planning and Design Code, and relevant design standards.