The Tasmanian Government is reforming the State’s planning system by introducing a single planning scheme for the State – the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.
The Tasmanian Planning Scheme comprises two parts:
- The State Planning Provisions (SPPs), and
- The Local Provisions Schedules (LPSs).
Tasmanian Planning Scheme – State Planning Provisions
The SPPs that form part of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme are designed to provide a consistent set of planning rules and provides for 23 zones and 16 codes that apply State-wide making up a suite of controls that are to be applied by local councils.
The zones indicate what use and development is appropriate for each zone such as residential, business, agriculture, utilities, environmental and recreational uses.
The codes provide pathways or requirements for dealing with land use issues which occur across Tasmania and may apply across a range of zones, covering matters such as natural hazards, local heritage values, natural assets, parking requirements and the protection of road, railway and electricity infrastructure.
Local Provisions Schedules
The LPSs are intended to apply the SPPs while meeting local needs and objectives. The LPSs that apply to each municipal area include zone and overlay maps (indicating where the zones and codes apply), local area objectives, code lists, particular purpose zones, specific area plans, and any site-specific qualifications. Councils are responsible for preparing the LPSs for their municipal area.
Councils are required to amend their zone maps, to implement the suite of zones provided for in the SPPs. The zone maps will be largely a translation from the current Interim Planning Schemes. In considering any zoning conversion or rezoning the Council is constrained by the guidelines provided by the Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) see Guideline No. 1 – Local Provisions Schedules (LPS): zone and code application.
Guidance for drafting local provisions schedules
Process for implementation
Council endorsed the draft LPS at the Council meeting of 22 May 2019. Council has now submitted the draft LPSs to the TPC for consideration prior to the public exhibition and assessment process.
Councils are required under the applicable legislation, the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (the Act), to publicly exhibit their draft LPSs for 60 days. The Act provides that any person can make a representation (submission) on the draft LPSs within that 60 day time period.
The Council will then consider the representations that are received and then provide a report to the TPC on those representations. The TPC will undertake a statutory assessment of the draft LPS, the representations on the draft LPS together with other matters it is required to consider about each draft LPS.
Post Lodgement Conferences
On 4 November 2019 and 19 November 2019, the Tasmanian Planning Commission and Huon Valley Council held non-statutory post lodgement conferences. The conferences discussed the matters set out in the post lodgement conference agendas available below.
The finalised agendas are for public disclosure.
- Huon Valley draft LPS – post lodgement conference agenda 1 – 4 November 2019
- Huon Valley draft LPS – post lodgement conference agenda 2 – 19 November 2019
The Commission has made its copies available on the iPlan website
Timeframe
As noted above Council endorsed the draft LPS for submission to the TPC at the Council meeting of 22 May 2019. Council now needs to wait for the TPC to direct Council that the draft LPS be advertised (exhibition). The timeframe for this to occur is up to the TPC and is currently not known. Once the timing of the exhibition period is known it will be noted here and broadly advertised.
The progress of the Huon Valley (and other Council’s) LPS can also be monitored by searching for “Huon Valley Council” on the Assessment and Hearings page of iplan – https://www.iplan.tas.gov.au/Pages/XC.Track.Assessment/SearchAssessment.aspx?id=868
Flowchart
A flowchart of the process is also available from this link.
Further information
More information on the Tasmanian Planning Scheme (SPPs and LPPs) can be obtained from:
- Tasmanian Planning Scheme Fact Sheet
- Tasmanian Planning Commission State Planning Provisions
- Tasmanian Planning Reform
A copy of the draft LPS that was endorsed at the Council meeting of 22 May 2019 is available on Councils website here.