SA government to review planning legislation

A review of South Australia's planning laws could see the cost of building come down, according to one expert.

The SA government has announced it will review the state's planning legislation, in a bid to modernise the system for the state's current needs.

Minister for planning John Rau announced the review last week (February 18), and said that the main focus would be to update the state's 20-year old planning laws.

What's more, according to Mr Rau, the Planning Improvement Project would help to maintain SA's "historic reputation as a leader in planning reform".

"Put simply, what we have now requires an update because it focuses the planning system on urban sprawl rather than the urban renewal we know is integral to the future of South Australia," said Mr Rau in a statement.

The minister for planning said that over the next 12 months, a panel of independent experts would listen to all stakeholders and then provide a report on what a new system could deliver.

The panel will be chaired by Brian Hayes QC and made up of SA experts in the fields of planning, law, transport, environmental policy and urban design.

One of the subjects of contention in the review will no doubt be the bureaucratic requirements which slow down the process of getting new projects off the ground.

If the red tape involved in developments were reduced, the cost of building would also come down, according to BIS Shrapnel senior property manager and property economist Martin Bregozzo.

"Anything that reduces that time element in the development equation is a step in the right direction because it ultimately works out to lower costs," Mr Bregozzo told Smart Property Investment magazine in an article published February 21.

When there are changes to planning laws, this can affect the cost of rebuilding structures, so it is good practice to check that your business property and interruption insurance covers are still adequate for your needs.