NEW planning regulations will give Hawkesbury residents confidence in the handling and assessment of development applications according to Dominic Perrottet.
The state government has passed legislation to see newly created planning panels – not councils - across Sydney from assessing development applications worth between $5 million and $30 million.
The panels - called Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels (IHAPs) – will be used for DAs that are “high value, corruption risk, sensitivity or strategic importance is transparent and accountable” according to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
Member for Hawkesbury and state Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said IHAPs would be good for the community.
“This is a very important step in ensuring the residents of the Hawkesbury can have full confidence in the expertise, transparency, and integrity of the assessment of development applications,” Mr Perrottet said via a prepared statement.
The planning minister Anthony Roberts said IHAPs were designed to be transparent and take potential conflicts of interest out of the equation.
“It is essential that the Government has a transparent and accountable process in place when assessing DAs of significant value, when there is a conflict of interest for the council or developer, or when they are of a sensitive nature,” Mr Roberts said via prepared statement.
“By making panels mandatory, local councils will be able to focus on strategic plans and development controls for their local area.”
