Directions Paper - Western Australian Planning Commission

Directions Paper on the Integration of NRM and Land Use Planning5.1.6.4 Currency of the frameworkReview and update of policies within the StatePlanning Framework is opportunistic rather thanregular and tends to be responsive to individualplanning issues. Many of the policies in theState Planning Framework are over 10 years oldand contain references to policy and agencieswhich have been superseded. The referencesto outdated policy in the majority of documentsmakes them hard to apply and often results inconflicts. Significant NRM issues that are notadequately addressed through the current StatePlanning Framework include climate change,land capability, native vegetation and basic rawmaterials. Opportunities to better address nativevegetation and basic raw materials throughthe State Planning Framework are provided inprevious sections.Given the significance of the climate changeissue it is suggested that an audit of the StatePlanning Framework be undertaken to identifyhow climate change mitigation and adaptationmeasures are currently addressed, with aview to consolidating and addressing gapsthrough integration of additional climate changemitigation and adaptation measures into existingpolicies.Currently there are a number of policies withinthe existing State Planning Framework includingSPP 2.2 Gnangara groundwater protection,SPP 2.3 Jandakot groundwater protection,SPP 2.5 agricultural and rural land use andSPP 6.1 Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge that referto the need to have “regard to the capabilityof land to accommodate different land usesand developments”. Any requirements forland capability assessment, especially whereit relates to the protection of agricultural landshould be reviewed to reflect the capacity ofexisting information and expertise within Stateand local government to effectively apply landcapability assessment to land use planningdecisions.5.1.6.5 Complexity of the frameworkThe number and complexity of issues coveredby the State planning framework throughnumerous state Planning Policies, developmentcontrol policies and planning bulletins meansthat it is difficult to retain an understandingof how the issues should be addressed andwhich policies should be used to aid decisionsat the various stages of the planning process.Given the complexity of the framework thereis a tendency for planners to make decisionsbased on experience and knowledge rather thanspecific reference to policy, consequently in a lotof instances, policy is only applied or used whena decision has been challenged by an appeal.Contributing to the complexity of the frameworkis the often overlapping role of SPPs, DCpolicies and planning bulletins. SPPs arecurrently a mixture of high level principles andoperational guidance, which creates confusionas DC policies are meant to provide operationalguidance for subdivision and development.Furthermore whilst it is the intent of PlanningBulletins to canvass proposed policy changesor highlight information about Western AustralianPlanning Commission and Department forPlanning and Infrastructure practices on avariety of planning matters, there are a numberof bulletins that could be considered policyin their own right (e.g. Planning for Tourism,Acid Sulphate Soils, Farm Forestry Policy) andtherefore consideration should be given to theintegration of those planning bulletins into SPPsor DC policies.There are a number of policies that address thesame NRM issue but for different geographicareas. Essentially the policy guidance providedwithin such policies is the same and thereforethere is potential to consolidate policy advicefor such issues under one policy. For examplea number of policies exist for the protection ofwater resources across the State, particularly inrelation to public drinking water source areas,including SPPs 2.2, 2.3, 2.7 and 2.9 and DCpolicy 6.3. There is potential to consolidate allthese policies under the Water Resources SPP2.9 and where required make mention of location35