Subdivision approval legislation described as “one of the worst pieces of red tape on Tasmania’s books” will be scrapped, the state government says.
Housing and Planning Minister Felix Ellis said the 1993 building and miscellaneous provisions regulations impose “outdated and unnecessary” requirements on projects.
“The building and construction sector has faced too much red-tape when trying to get home-building opportunities out of the ground,” he said.
Under the current system, a subdivision proposal must be assessed against two sets of planning requirements before construction can begin.
This system has proven both time-consuming and costly, Ellis says, causing delays for both developers and prospective homeowners.
The proposed reforms will eliminate duplication by consolidating the requirements into a single framework under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.
“This is a common sense reform that will see more homes built faster,” Ellis said.
The changes have received strong support from the local government sector, with Local Government Association President Mick Tucker calling the current legislation a source of “constant frustrations”.
“It’s 30 odd years old, it’s outdated, it’s not fit for purpose, it was built for a previous century,” he said.
“We hope … the government will continue to work with the local government sector on how planning reform can be meaningful and well-intentioned to get the development that we need, to get homes built and get things happening on the ground.”
