Greens go for planning overhaul
THE Greens want to implement an $8 million overhaul of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme preventing commercial development in national parks and removing exemptions for forestry and marine farming.
Greens planning spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said, if elected, her party would pump in $8 million over four years to reinstate the independence and function of the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
The Greens would also: REQUIRE all reserve and Crown land to be discretionary and prohibit commercial development in national parks; REMOVE exemptions for forestry and marine farming within the current planning system, ensuring activities on land or water are consistent with the scheme as well as consultation and appeal processes; CALL for a review on building
heights and remove exemptions on high limits;
HAND back ministerial approval powers to the commission and councils;
PROHIBIT call-in powers for projects by retaining the policy around projects of state significance;
PROTECT the environment and heritage through biodiversity mapping, a review of the natural assets and the heritage codes and reintroduce protection for heritage buildings;
DEFEND Aboriginal heritage during development application processes; and
REINTRODUCE the environmental living zone to protect biodiversity in rural areas.
Dr Woodruff said the policy recognised Tasmanias’s future would depend on people being able to have a say in planning.
“It will give communities and individuals the right to have a say and to appeal developments,” Dr Woodruff said.
“It will remove the power of ministers to intervene in planning decisions.”
Liberal Franklin MP Nic Street rejected the Greens’ plan.
“They want to stop any sort of development or investment, slam the brakes on the economy and destroy jobs,” he said.