The State Planning Commission undertakes a wide range of engagement activities to ensure planning and broader policy initiatives are communicated to councils, community groups and peak industry bodies.
Recent highlights of the Commission’s engagement activities can be viewed below.
The Commission regularly hosts briefings to assist local government and their elected members’ understanding of the new planning system and to help address concerns raised by their constituents.
The Commission also attends and briefs council Mayors and CEOs of the Greater Adelaide Regional Organisation of Councils (GAROC) and South Australian Regional Organisation of Councils (SAROC).
Recent events include:
Upper Spencer Gulf Summit
Members the Commission travelled to Port Augusta on 31 May 2022 to take part in the Regional Priorities Forum organised by the Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group which is a strategic partnership between the cities of Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla. The forum provided an opportunity to discuss the future of this region and how the Commission can work with Upper Spencer Gulf councils as part of the regional planning program to map out and support a prosperous future for the area.
Regional Council CE Forum
On 27 May 2022, State Planning Commission Chair Craig Holden and the Minister for Planning, the Honourable Nick Champion MP, took part in a forum titled ‘Learn from the Past, Look to the Future’ which bought together over 20 regional council Chief Executives to map a bright future for regional SA. The forum included a Regional Planning showcase covering Coorong Council’s Growth Strategy, Robe Council’s ‘Robe 2050 Plan’ and the Upper Spencer Gulf Summit.
The Commission is regularly invited to speak at a range of public forums hosted by various community groups including the Community Alliance, historical societies and conservation groups amongst others.
Recent events include:
Community Alliance Deputation
In February 2022, members of the Community Alliance met with the State Planning Commission to discuss planning matters of significance to the community including tree laws and improvements to community engagement. The meeting included presentations from CASA President Dr Iris Iwanicki, Conservation Council representative Tom Morrison and 5049 Coastal Community Association’s Dr David Cruikshanks-Boyd.
The Commission regularly hosts workshops, attended by a range of industry and business bodies, to investigate and progress different aspects of planning and development, including:
Green Adelaide Leaders Series
In May 2022, State Planning Commission Chair Craig Holden had the opportunity to speak about the Commission’s Open Space and Trees Project at the Greening Adelaide Leaders Event organised by Green Adelaide. The event formed part of a series of collaborative engagements aimed at progressing an Urban Greening Strategy for metropolitan Adelaide. The Commission shares Green Adelaide’s vision for a cooler, greener and more liveable Adelaide and the event was a great opportunity to identify new partnerships and drive collaboration. Following this event, the Commission released the Adelaide Garden Guide for New Homes and co-hosted an Industry Roundtable with Green Adelaide in September 2022.
Urban Trees Offset Scheme Forum
In 2021, the Minister for Planning and Local Government and the State Planning Commission co-hosted the Urban Trees Offset Scheme Forum for industry, local government and community stakeholders. At the Forum the draft Urban Trees Offset Scheme was outlined with discussion centred around the overarching objective of the Scheme to encourage trees planting and how best to implement the Scheme. Key points included the proposed value for payments into the Scheme, and the areas where the Scheme would apply i.e. highly reactive soils and higher density zones.
Residential Infill
Throughout 2020 the State Planning Commission held a number of residential infill forums to hear from industry experts involved in the development of residential infill housing across Adelaide. This forum assisted the Commission’s understanding of the build process in terms of delivering a housing product and informed improvements to residential infill policy in the Planning and Design Code. These were subsequently released in Raising the Bar on Residential Infill (PDF, 3309 KB) brochure.
The State Planning Commission welcomes the opportunity to present at state conferences and major events to provide advice and updates on planning and policy initiatives. The Commission has undertaken a broad range of speaking opportunities at events hosted by the following organisations:
- Australian Institute of Architects (AIA)
- Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) SA Chapter Conference
- Australian Institute Landscape Architects (AILA)
- Conservation Council of SA
- Cooler Greener Adelaide
- Green Adelaide (replace ‘Cooler Greener Adelaide’)
- Local Government Association
- Master Builders SA
- Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)
- South Australian Heritage Council
- University of South Australia
- Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA)