No images? Click here Welcome!Welcome to the latest newsletter from Council's Development, Planning and Property Branch. New Planning and Development Fees and ChargesAt its Planning and Environment Committee on 8 September 2021, Council resolved to adopt the 2021/22 Planning and Development Fees and Charges Schedule. The new Planning and Development Fees and Charges have been adopted following a detailed review which took into account feedback from both industry stakeholders and Council officers who work regularly with this specific schedule. The new schedule will commence on 1 October 2021. It can be viewed in Attachment 2 of the Council report and will be updated on our website on the commencement date. New appointment: Senior Planner - Infrastructure CoordinationWe're pleased to advise that Hamish McIntosh has been appointed to the newly created role of Senior Planner – Infrastructure Coordination. This new role will provide a single point of contact for industry in relation to infrastructure agreements, trunk infrastructure and other infrastructure charges matters. Our aim is to streamline these processes and provide a single contact for the development industry, to facilitate these matters that are closely linked with the region's ongoing growth. Hamish can be contacted on (07) 4044 357 or via email at h.mcintosh@cairns.qld.gov.au. Community ResidenceCouncil has received several queries in relation to the establishment of a Community Residence, and the role of local government in the overall process. A Community Residence is defined as: Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017 outlines criteria a Community Residence must satisfy to be categorised as development a local categorising instrument is prohibited from stating is assessable development. Where development meets the definition of a Community Residence and satisfies the criteria under Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017, planning approval (for a Material Change of Use) is not required from Council. Where the proposed development does not meet the definition or criteria, planning approval may be required. We invite you to seek advice from our Development, Planning and Property Branch if you have any uncertainties on compliance with the definition or criteria. Should a Building Approval be issued without the relevant planning approvals in place, the private Certifier has committed an offence under section 83 of the Building Act 1975, carrying a maximum penalty of 165 penalty units. In such circumstances, Council will be obligated to undertake enforcement action. Future updatesWe'll be sharing a range of relevant industry updates through future newsletters. Please feel free to share this with your industry colleagues - just click the Forward button below. To be included on our distribution list for future updates, please contact Sue Shearer via email on s.shearer@cairns.qld.gov.au. |