SOUTH Australia's Coordinator-General has declared 15 of the Peregrine Group's 'On The Run' stores to be assessed by the Development Assessment Commission (DAC).
THE Australian and South Australian governments this month released a draft bilateral agreement for approvals under national environment law for public comment.
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said that he is committed to reducing the regulatory burden on business by streamlining the environmental approvals process and is working with state and territory governments to develop a 'one-stop shop' for environmental approvals.
THE South Australian Government last week welcomed the release of the final report from the Expert Panel on Planning Reform, which outlines 22 reforms that aim to support the development of an effective, efficient and enabling planning system.
Planning Minister John Rau thanked the Panel, headed by Brian Hayes, for their work and said he will carefully consider the report before seeking cabinet approval for taking legislative changes to the Parliament in the first quarter of the New Year.
SOUTH Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Sustainability and Environment Minister Ian Hunter last week officially opened Stage 2 of the Snowtown Wind Farm, which has more than tripled the capacity of the operation and made it the state's largest wind farm.
The Snowtown Wind Farm, which spans more than 30 kilometres and has been generating electricity on the Hummocks and Barunga ranges since 2008, is located approximately 170 kilometres north of Adelaide and owned by New Zealand company Trustpower.
THE Australian and South Australian Governments last week announced that two consortia have been shortlisted for the major works contract of the $896 million Torrens Road to River Torrens Project.
The major works contract involves the delivery of an upgraded 3.7 kilometre section of South Road between Torrens Road and the River Torrens, including a 2.5 kilometre section of non-stop travel, with 1.4 kilometres of lowered (non-stop) motorway under the Outer Harbor Rail line and Port and Grange Roads.
THE South Australian Government last week announced that the second stage of the $130 million development, The Square at Woodville West, is being released to market following the sell-out success of Stage 1.
Minister for Housing and Urban Development John Rau said he anticipates the 81 new homes to be delivered as part of the Stage 2 release will be sought after by purchasers who want to be part of the major renewal under way in Woodville West.
PURSUING cultural change and improving efficiencies of South Australia's cumbersome planning system should be among the state's top priorities when it comes to planning reform, according to the Urban Development Institute of Australia (SA).
Responding to the 'Our Ideas for Reform' report released in August by SA's Expert Panel on Planning Reform, the UDIA's formal submission is supportive of many reforms, including rationalising planning zones and associated rules across councils, and improving the professionalism of planning assessment panels.
SOUTH Australian Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan last week welcomed supermarket chain ALDI's announcement that local building firm BADGE Group has been contracted to build the company's $70 million Regency Park distribution centre.
"ALDI's plans to open up to 50 stores is a real positive for the State's retail sector and points to the strength of the South Australian economy," Mr Mullighan said.
THE South Australian Government last week released its draft Guidelines for the Assessment of Unsolicited Proposals, which aims to facilitate the unlocking of economic opportunities and innovation through a centralised, robust, transparent and easily navigated process.
The guidelines outline the government's objectives and process for the consideration of unsolicited proposals, and also include the criteria for assessing whether to enter into exclusive negotiations for an unsolicited proposal.
A TRIAL of lower speed limits in Adelaide's south-east corner, including Hutt Street, has been deemed a success but community feedback has led to the return of the original 50 kilometre per hour speed limit, Adelaide City Council announced last week.
The council trialled a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit on Hutt Street and the adjacent precinct, east of Hutt Street, for around eight months to see if it improved accessibility, safety and increased visitors to the area.
THE Federal and South Australian governments last week signed a new bilateral agreement to streamline environmental assessments as part of the Commonwealth's 'one-stop shop' reforms for environmental approvals.
The new agreement creates a single environmental assessment process that allows the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment to rely on specified environmental impact assessment processes of South Australia in assessing certain actions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
SOUTH Australia's proposed Transport Development Levy has been scrapped, after an Opposition amendment to remove the levy from the budget passed Parliament last week with the support of two Family First MPs and independent John Darley.
The levy, which was proposed by the State Government in 2012 to help raise revenue to fund transport projects, would have applied a $750 levy to certain off-street and on-street car spaces in Adelaide's CBD and was expected to raise more than $100 million over the next four years.
ADELAIDE City Council has unanimously endorsed recommendations that will form the basis of the council's submission in response to the recent report of the Expert Panel on Planning Reform, which put forward 27 proposals to reform South Australia's planning system.
Deputy Chair of Council's City Planning & Development Committee, David Plumridge, last week said a key point in the council's submission to the Expert Panel will be around its support for establishing a State Planning Commission as the first step in any reform process.
