Following the two month consultation period from 1 October 2019 to 29 November 2019, the State Planning Commission is pleased to release the ‘What We Have Heard Report’ for the draft Phase Two Code (Rural Areas) Planning and Design Code.

The Commission received a significant number of responses from councils, state agencies, industry practitioners and members of the community. These responses are summarised at a high level in the report alongside key recommendations for its improvement including:

  • general changes to better recognise rural context and identity
  • the creation of new zones that are attuned to our Regions such as a new ‘Neighbourhood Zone’ that recognises on-site waste water management systems and allows larger outbuildings and a new ‘Golf Course Estate Zone’ that guides housing coordinated with golf courses at Port Hughes and in the Riverland
  • the creation of new subzones to recognise and address local issues such as a new ‘Waterfront Subzone’ that guides design of development fronting marinas, canals and other waterways and a new ‘Fisherman Bay Subzone’ that addresses the unique challenges of this settlement
  • the creation of a new ‘Heritage Adjacency Overlay’ to address the potential impact of development on land adjacent to heritage listed places
  • the inclusion of the Character Area Overlay and a Character Area Statement for the township of Mundulla, as well as amendments to the Historic Area Statement for Robe
  • ensuring all national parks and wilderness reserves are covered by the Conservation Zone
  • general changes to ensure that overlays do not undermine availability of the accepted and deemed-to-satisfy assessment pathways to low risk developments like dwellings, sheds and carports in townships to facilitate faster approvals.

The Commission’s final recommendations to the Minister for Planning will be published in a separate report prepared for the purposes of section 73 of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. This report will be made public on the SA Planning Portal following the Minister’s approval.

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