The ‘Northern Regional Land Use Planning Framework Draft for Consultation’ was recently released but the document is not a strategic planning document, it is more a loose economic development plan.
And it is grossly inadequate for what it is supposed to provide. When placed next to the other two Regional Land Use Strategies, for the Southern and Cradle Coast Regions, it is not recognisable as a matching piece for a three piece jigsaw puzzle.
Our beautiful State needs your help – please grab a pen, some paper or your computer and get writing or typing!
The draft Northern Regional Land Use Planning Framework document currently offered for public consultation is on its way to become top level the legal document for planning the future of the North & North East of Tasmania (including framing all the new planning schemes, planning scheme.
After Friday 10th June 2011 the draft document is destined to be ‘reviewed’ and then declared a statutory instrument under Section 30c of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 by the Minister for Planning. The effect will be that the approval of new planning schemes, planning scheme amendments or projects of regional significance must be in accordance with this ‘Framework’.
The due date of submissions is 5.00pm, Friday 10th of June.
Have your say – respond to Executive Officer, Northern Tasmania Development Board, PO Box 603 Launceston 7250 – or via email to [email protected] .
Please CC a copy to the Tasmanian Planning Commission, attention Greg Alomes, Executive Commissioner, GPO Box 1691, Hobart 7001, or via email [email protected].
Access the complete document here: http://www.northerntasmania.org.au/regional-land-use-plan-projects
What is omitted from the North Land Use Planning Framework
The majority of land, water & biodiversity in Tasmania does not come under the resource management planning system (RMPS) of which the Land Use Planning & Appeals Act 1993 is a part. The development of the regional land use planning framework has failed to redress these omissions from a planning and democratic participation perspective.
The following types of land use activity do not require formal approval by local councils and therefore remain outside the control of the planning authority and in most cases of the people!
• Activities which may impact on flora and fauna species protected under the Commonwealths Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act- or the Tas Threatened Species Protection Act
• Vegetation communities listed under the Nature Conservation Act and protected by the Regional Forest Agreement (Commonwealth)
• Activities in national parks and reserves and land listed under the Nature Conservation Act
• Level 2 activities under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act
• Projects of State Significance and Regional Significance
• Tasmania Reserve Management Code of Practices 2003
• Forest Practices System – forestry activities undertaken in State Forests and Private Timber Reserves including within water catchment areas, forestry as an automatic permitted use in an agricultural zone (State Policy on Protection of Agricultural Land)
• Extractive mining activities
• Offshore aquaculture
• Farm dams
• The use of agricultural chemical products including herbicides and pesticides
The key point is any planning reform must reinforce third party appeal rights, and ensure government penchant towards self regulation is reversed in favor of a strong culture of planning. Planning is not processing development applications, nor is it ignoring the aspects and impacts of activities that are deemed to be a ‘permitted’ use.
A Summary of the North Plan – for your information and consideration
The Northern Regional Land Use Framework (NRLUF) as released for final public consultation in May 2011 is a severely insufficient document. It is inconsistent, does not offer comprehensive strategies, and does not adequately address (if at all) many of the key planning concerns of our time. It is also poorly written, poorly referenced, and full of spelling, syntax, and formatting errors which make it difficult to read coherently. It is evident that the document has had several authors over time, and it is disrespectful to the Tasmanian community to offer such a document for public consultation. Whilst it is acknowledged that reaching agreement between all of the Councils in the Region must have been a challenging task, an agreed ‘framework’ that is not a strategic Regional Land Use Strategy is no use.
The Southern Regional Land Use Strategy is more detailed, has been subject to extensive community consultation, is based on real data (13 background reports) and has had expert input. Please consider calling for the rejection of the North Plan and for it be rewritten so that it is consistent with the Southern Regional Land Use Strategy.
