Important planning changes to be reviewed by Assembly Committee

Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, has announced that Draft Variation 306 (DV 306) that proposes improvements to planning rules in the ACT has been referred the Assembly's Standing Committee on Planning, Public Works and Territory and Municipal Services.

"These proposed improvements that affect redevelopment of residential blocks, residential estate development, and solar access are important changes, and therefore changes that should be considered by the relevant Assembly Committee," Mr Corbell said.

"DV 306 to the Territory Plan contains significant changes designed to protect Canberra's suburban character and this draft variation has been amended following a detailed public consultation campaign.

Key features of DV 306 include:

• requirements that blocks in new estates achieve good solar orientation and solar access to future dwellings
• new provisions for multi unit residential redevelopment in RZ2 zones including:
  • no building will contain more than four dwellings
  • buildings containing two or more dwellings on the same block must be separated by at least four metres
  • for residential redevelopment, the minimum site area for each dwelling is 350m2 for up to five dwellings and 250m2 for the sixth and each subsequent dwelling
  • consolidation of blocks is only permitted where they have adjoining street frontages
• provision for secondary residences (or granny flats) up to 75m² in floor area on blocks larger than 500m2
• provisions requiring dwellings suitable for families to be provided in redevelopment proposals in established areas.

"The provisions relating to RZ2 multi unit redevelopment and the residential block compliance tables were given interim effect from 3 June 2011. The latter has meant that all new blocks designed since that time have been orientated to achieve high standards of solar access," Mr Corbell said.

Following referral to the Legislative Assembly's Standing Committee on Planning, Public Works and Territory and Municipal Services the Standing Committee has six months to report its findings and recommendations under the Planning and Development Act 2007.