NSW governments have stripped local councils of planning powers and tipped the balance in favour of developers. Neighbourhoods are being transformed without meaningful consultation with residents.
The Greens will work to:
- Encourage genuine community engagement in strategic planning by Council by trialling citizens’ juries and other innovative methods.
- Require new development applications to provide climate impact assessments.
- Prioritise adaptive reuse of existing buildings rather than demolition and excavation.
- Require all new constructions to meet a minimum 5 Green star rating.
- Restore planning powers to elected councillors who are accountable to the community.
- Ensure that the DA process is made more transparent and fairer for the community and assessments are accessible at all stages.
- Have Council respond to complaints in a timely fashion, and investigate and take action where necessary against private certifiers.
- Ensure developer contributions are publicly accounted for and fund much needed local
- Eliminate Voluntary Planning Agreements (legalised bribes) which encourage overdevelopment.