The Scheme's Objectives & Goals

It is not within the scope of this paper to explore every detail of the Draft Planning Scheme’s Objectives. Rather there are overarching issues within them that can be addressed in a general way and that arguably need attending to in order to enhance its effectiveness.

It is assumed that the objectives as set out have some veracity and utility. However, this may not always be the case, as it seems that thus far they have been framed in isolation from the scheme’s Community of Ownership and Interest (COI). Likewise, the scheme does not articulate its status as a policy document.

If the scheme’s objectives and goals were to be individually tested against an unambiguous raison d’être almost certainly a need would be found to either revise or amend various items – and very likely, add further objectives and goals.

In respect to the scheme’s overarching purpose it is not possible to test the objectives/goals set out against its purpose given that the scheme articulates its purpose as simply meeting a legislative requirement – and that requirement is in a state of flux. In the case of a purposeful planning scheme it is possible to do this test. Sadly this is not so with this draft scheme, except speculatively.

Importantly, linked to each objective there is explanatory text that rationalises the objective and puts it into context. It would be helpful to readers if this text were to be headed ‘Context’ or ‘Rationale’ or something like ‘Guiding Principles’. This would add to the documents utility – and add substantially to its readibility.

To the extent that there is no articulated ‘Purpose’ it is difficult for readers to back reference and contextualise the objective/goal in relationship to an issue in hand and the planning process – ideally a process that goes on well before a plan is presented to Council for approval.

What is missing from this section of the documentation is an articulation of the ‘Strategies’ that will be used to bring about a targeted outcomes. Neither does the draft scheme put many of the necessary tools in professional planners' hands or tools that would assist in marketing the planning process and/or the scheme's raison d’être.

All this seriously impinges upon the document’s utility as a policy instrument in that it does not offer enough guidance to developers and external planners in developing a project that is best able to comply with the scheme. While it may be true that a developer will typically test the extremities of any planning scheme clarifying policy imperative is likely to remove at least some of the tension in contesting various interpretations of the scheme.

Indeed, there is a strong case to be put that the document needs a flowchart that demonstrates the process of initiating a project/proposal and how it will be progressed through the approval process, and by whom, and within what time-frames, in order to facilitate target outcomes with greater efficiency and effectiveness – and in the end amicable compliance.

In order to be an effective civic document a planning scheme needs to be able to be interfaced with other Council policies and Council's marketing of its programs and strategies.