Policy | Statewide

What is this about?

Since 2021, the Tasmanian Government has been preparing the Tasmanian Planning Policies (TPPs). The authority to make the TPPs comes from Part 2A of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA). This part of the Act also sets out all the steps that must be followed during their creation and subsequent review.

The TPPs will shape the future for Tasmania by providing the direction to guide strategic land use planning and the planning rules in the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.

Who is involved?

The State Planning Office had the lead role and consulted widely during the process. The Tasmanian Planning Commission assessed them and provided a report to the Minister. The Minister makes the policies.

How long will it take?

The project started in 2021 and is expected to finish in 2024.

Background

The TPPs will shape the future for Tasmania through informing strategic land use planning and the planning rules in the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.

The TPPs will also guide the comprehensive review of the three regional land use strategies in line with the recommendations from the Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council (PESRAC) Report released in March 2021.

Lifecycle

The goal of the consultation was to seek public views on what the TPPs should include, to guide the process of drafting them.

Scoping the issues consultation

The State Planning Office (SPO) released a paper for consultation, inviting the public to give feedback on the structure and policy content around the following seven proposed policy areas:

  • Environmental protection
  • Hazards and risks
  • Economic development
  • Liveable settlements
  • Heritage protection
  • Infrastructure
  • Public engagement.

108 submissions were received from a range of stakeholders including local government, industry associations, state agencies, service providers, community groups and individuals.

The report on the scoping consultation summarised the submissions received and provided a revised structure enabling the drafting of the policy content to commence.

Consultation ran from 8 September to 22 October 2021. Extensions were granted on request.

The scoping paper, submissions and report on consultation are available below.

Tasmanian Planning Policies - Sept 2021 - Draft TPP Scoping Paper
Scoping paper consultation
Tasmanian Planning Policies -Mar 2022 - Scoping Consultation Report
Outline the response to submissions received during the consultation on the Tasmanian Planning Policies (TPPs) Scoping Paper undertaken in September and October 2021.
Drafting the policies

The State Planning Office drafted the Tasmanian Planning Policies (TPPs) in consultation with key stakeholders.

When the drafting was completed, there was a six week public consultation on the draft TPPs (Section 12C (2) of the Act) from 19 September to 1 November 2022.

This period overlapped with local government elections. Planning authorities were given an extension until 30 November 2022.

Over 70 submissions were received from a range of stakeholders, including planning authorities, industry groups, community organisations, state agencies and members of the public.

A recording of an online presentation and Q&A session on the draft Tasmanian Planning Policies was held on 19 October 2022:

The report on the consultation discusses the submissions, responses to issues raised, and provides an overview of the modifications made to the draft TPPs.

Documents

The draft TPPs ((PDF 357.3 KB)) released for consultation

Supporting report ((PDF 436.7 KB)) for the draft TPPs released for consultation

Submissions ((PDF 18.3 MB))

Report ((PDF 342.1 KB)) on consultation

Report ((PDF 791.1 KB)) on consultation appendix

Policies sent to TPC for exhibition

The revised draft TPPs were sent to the Tasmanian Planning Commission, with a direction from the Minister to exhibit and commence its independent review and assessment of the draft TPPs. The exhibition commenced on 28 March and concluded on 26 June 2023.

Hearings were held in Burnie, Launceston and Hobart between 16 October 2023 and 24 January 2024.

To view the draft TPPs or read about the review and assessment process, visit the Tasmanian Planning Commission website.

Exhibition and supporting documents

Background report and explanatory document

State Planning Office opinion of compliance with TPP criteria

Commission completes assessment

After completion of the hearings, and consideration of all the matters raised in the representations, the Tasmanian Planning Commission provided a report to the Minister. The report:

  • summarises the issues raised in representations
  • provides an assessment against the TPP criteria
  • provides a statement as to whether there are any matters of a technical nature that might be relevant to the application of the TPPs.

The report is made available to coincide with the Minister's decision on the TPPs.

Minister's decision

The Minister can only make, modify or refuse to make the TPPs after considering the Commission's report.

The Minister can only make the TPPs if the Commission advises that it is satisfied that the TPPs meet the TPP criteria:  that they further the objectives of the Land Use and Planning Approvals Act 1993 (LUPAA) and are consistent with State Policies.

The Minister must provide reasons for modifications to the TPPs, including evidence on which that decision was based.

Making the policies

If the Minister decides to make the policies, a notice is published in Tasmanian newspapers, stating they have been made and when they will become effective.

Notification of the Minister's decision is also published in the Gazette.

Once the policies are made, the State Planning Provisions and the Regional Land Use Strategies are reviewed to give effect to them.