TASMANIAN Planning Minister Bryan Green last week announced new Tasmanian planning laws that aim to streamline approvals and cut red tape for residential development.

Issuing the new Planning Directives, Mr Green said the major overhaul of the State's planning system would reduce compliance costs and speed up approvals for single dwellings.

Planning Directive No. 3 – Single Dwellings in Residential Zones, removes planning permit requirements for single dwellings that comply with standards for residential development in seven planning schemes.

Planning Directive No. 4 — Standards for Single Dwellings, applies a set of common standards to the majority of single dwelling developments, covering six areas: setback from frontage, site coverage and rear area, building envelope, frontage setback and width of garages and carports, visual and acoustic privacy, and front fences.

If a proposed dwelling meets the standards contained in Planning Directive No. 4, it will not have to go through the planning approval process.

"The Government is delivering some of the most important planning reforms we have ever seen and this new code is an exciting milestone," Mr Green said.
 
"We are implementing reforms for all types of development from residential through to larger developments under new local government planning schemes based on standardised State-wide template.
 
"Planning reform is a key priority of the Government because we want Tasmania to be a more attractive place to live and invest," the Minister said.
 
Mr Green said the new residential code will come into operation across the State during August.
 
Under the new code, the majority of residential developments will no longer require planning approval if the application complies with the new code.
 
The new code will also enable building surveyors to certify that house plans comply with the planning standards to help speed up the process.

"The new single dwelling residential code is something the industry has been waiting for and all stakeholders are to be commended for their involvement in what has been a lengthy and complex process," Mr Green said.

Mr Green said that while the government is "taking giant strides in the reform of the planning system," there is still more work to be done, including the introduction of new planning schemes for every local council in Tasmania based on a state-wide template.

The government is also developing a new code for multi-dwellings such as residential units.

More information is available from the Tasmanian Planning Commission website at <http://www.planning.tas.gov.au/>.