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Improved planning statistics pave the way for investment

Efficient planning process for city growth.

By Portal Admin - 13th January 2018 - Back to News

Latrobe City Council is achieving improved efficiency in their assessment of planning permit applications, with 98 per cent of planning permit applications being assessed within statutory timeframes (60 days), in the first four months of the financial year, compared with a Regional City average of 77 per cent.

Latrobe City Council’s mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said the statistics reflected the hard work and focus of the planning team over the past year.

"Applicants want their planning permits as quickly as possible, so they can start using the land or developing the land now. We’ve also managed to reduce the gross days it takes to assess an application, dropping to 55 days compared to the average of 81 days across the state.

"That’s a positive outcome for everyone in the City, mum and dad applicants and developers alike," Cr White said.

Latrobe City Council’s acting chief executive officer, Phil Stone, said one of the objectives of the Council Plan was to achieve a target of 85 per cent of planning permit applications to be assessed within 60 statutory days.

"These figures for the first four months of the year certainly indicate we are surpassing this goal. The Planning Permit Activity Reporting System (PPARS) monitors planning permit activity across 80 municipalities within Victoria to ensure Councils are accountable for the services they are providing.

"We are all about delivering an efficient service with many positive outcomes whilst not losing sight of what is best for the community or the stringent planning scheme requirements. Working closely with applicants from the beginning of their approach to us, we try to simplify the often complex planning process," Mr Stone said.

Cr White added that Council’s statutory planning department remained committed to continuously improving its processes.

"We are pleased with these statistics that demonstrate our focus on working with those who want to invest in Latrobe City. An efficient planning process provides the building blocks for investment, for growth and for a city in which residents can take pride," Cr White concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com