Current Situation
- Council meets the statutory requirements for advertising development applications.
- Public notices are generally limited to on-site signage, Council's website and other legislative requirements.
- It’s important that residents have a genuine opportunity to make submissions on developments that may impact them, particularly significant developments that can affect neighbourhood character, traffic, infrastructure, amenity and the future growth of the community.
- Council already has well-established communication channels, including Facebook and regular email updates, that reach thousands of residents.
- These existing channels are not routinely used to notify residents about significant development applications.
The Issue
- It is very easy for residents to miss significant development applications and lose the opportunity to make a submission unless they regularly check Council’s website.
- Recent community feedback following the approval of a new petrol station highlighted this issue, with many residents saying they were unaware of the proposal and did not have the opportunity to lodge a submission.
- A lack of awareness can lead to frustration, mistrust and the perception that important decisions are being made without adequate community engagement.
My Plan
- Develop a Council policy requiring development applications of significant public interest to be promoted through Council's existing communication channels. This includes:
- Advertise eligible applications on Council's official Facebook page.
- Include eligible applications in Council's regular email updates.
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Establish clear criteria for applications that should be advertised, such as:
- Major residential subdivisions.
- Large commercial or industrial developments.
- Developments likely to generate significant community interest or impacts.
- Ensure all notifications comply with relevant planning legislation and Council’s statutory obligations for public advertising and community consultation.
The Benefits
- Encourages earlier and more informed community feedback through appropriate channels
- Increases community awareness of significant developments.
- Gives more residents a genuine opportunity to participate in the planning process.
- Improves transparency and trust in Council decision-making.
- Makes better use of Council's existing communication channels at minimal additional cost.
- Encourages earlier and more informed community feedback.
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Strengthens confidence that residents are being kept informed about decisions that shape their local community.