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Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 21 August 2009 CREATING AUSTRALIA'S BEST PLANNING SYSTEM: MAJOR PROJECT APPROVALS FOR JULY 2009 The NSW Government continues to create Australia’s Best Planning with the fourth monthly release of Major Project approvals. Acting Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, said the NSW Government is creating Australia’s Best Planning System and these monthly releases are part of that creation. “In the best planning system in Australia, decisions are transparent, efficient, provide certainty and are made at their most appropriate level,” Mr Kelly said. “These monthly reports provide councils, the community and developers with timely and accurate information about the performance of the planning system for major projects.” Mr Kelly said that during July 2009: • 27 Major Projects had been approved creating 281 construction jobs, 158 operational jobs and over $89 million of capital investment in NSW. • Of these 27 approvals, 1 was approved by the Minister under Part 3A and 1 was approved under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. • The Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) independently determined 1 Part 3A Project Application in July. • The remaining 24 were approved by the Department of Planning under relevant Parts of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. Mr Kelly said the PAC determination of the Pymble multi unit housing proposal was a good example of decisions being made at their most appropriate level. “The Pymble proposal went directly to the PAC for determination because the proponent had made a declarable political donation,” Mr Kelly said. “In December last year the Planning Minister delegated her powers as consent authority to the PAC for all project applications where a declarable political donation has been made on any project lodged after 1 October 2008. “As of December last year project applications that are in the Ministers electorate or where the Minister has a pecuniary interest are now also automatically determined by the PAC. “The ability to have an independent body determining these types of projects provides transparency and certainty to the community and proponent, and removes any potential or perceived conflict of interest.”
For a full breakdown of approvals, visit http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/planningsystem/pdf/090820%20Monthly%20Major%20Project%20Figures%20-%20July%2008.pdf
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