Please Exhibit Metro Strategy for Sydney under the New Planning System!
Ask
the Minister and Department to stop the current Metro Strategy
exhibition and to bring it back once the new planning system has been
agreed. Further, tell the Minister proper resourcing is needed so that
the ground breaking community participation he is promising is actually delivered.
A New Planning System for NSW
promises ground breaking community participation in making strategic
plans like the Metro Strategy so people do not need to comment 80% of
developments. But there has been little community input to the Metro
Strategy and the promised “ground breaking arrangements” are nowhere to
be seen because the Metro Strategy has been exhibited before the new
system is in place.
The Metro Strategy locks in significant
changes for the density and character of suburbs across Sydney that
local plans have to follow. There will be less opportunity for people to
have a say about their suburbs when the new system is in place because
key aspects will have already been locked in with little community
participation.
The Minister has declined a request to
withdraw the exhibition and re-exhibit it once the proposed new planning
system has been agreed. Rather, the exhibition period has been extended to the same closing date as the new planning system.
Tell the Minister this is not acceptable!
The Text of the petition is provided below:
The Hon. Brad HAZZARD MP, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Sydney Metro Strategy Team, Department of Planning and Infrastructure
Mr Sam Haddad, Director General, Department of Planning and Infrastructure
I have just signed the combined petition / submission asking you to
please exhibit the “Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney to 2031”
under the New Planning System!
The White Paper on the New Planning System for NSW promises ground
breaking community participation, from “people from all walks of life”.
Specifically, a significant and representative proportion of the
community is promised participation in developing long term strategic
plans for their areas.
However the “Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney to 2031” which
will become the Regional Plan in “A New Planning System for NSW” is
already on exhibition – well before public feedback to the new planning
system can be considered, legislation agreed and new processes
implemented.
There has been little community input to the Metro Strategy and the
promised “ground breaking arrangements” for “a significant and
representative proportion of the community” is nowhere to be seen.
This means that when communities turn up to have their input into
their sub-regional and local plans they will find key planning outcomes
for their suburbs already locked in with little community participation.
This in turn will undermine public confidence in the success of any
new system.
In response, I object to the continued exhibition of the Draft
Metropolitan Strategy and oppose it being finalised on the basis of the
current exhibition.
Instead, I ask that the Minister and the Department cancel the
current exhibition and bring the Regional Plan for Sydney back to the
community under the finalised provisions of “A New Planning System for
NSW”
promised by the White Paper.
I further ask that the Minister ensure proper resourcing so that the
ground breaking community participation he is promising is actually
delivered under “A New Planning System for NSW”.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
You can sign this petition at: Please Exhibit Metro Strategy for Sydney under the New Planning System!