Assessment Improvements Code Amendment

We want your feedback on technical amendments to enhance the general performance and clarity of South Australia’s Planning and Design Code.

What's being decided?

The Assessment Improvements Code Amendment proposes a number of technical amendments to enhance the general performance and operation of South Australia's Planning and Design Code, which is the single source of planning policy in South Australia.

The Code Amendment has been informed by feedback from local council, planning industry professionals and other users of the Code, and implements recommendations of the Expert Panel supported by the state government.

Your feedback will help to shape the final Code Amendment presented to the Minister for Planning for a decision.

Background

The Planning and Design Code is the cornerstone of the state’s planning system, which ranks first in the nation.

Since the Code was introduced in 2021, monitoring and reviewing the Code and identifying where adjustments may be required is an ongoing activity of the State Planning Commission and the Planning and Land Services division of the Department for Housing and Urban Development.

The draft Assessment Improvements Code Amendment builds upon the Miscellaneous Technical Enhancement Code Amendment, which came into effect on 1 June 2023. Similarly, it will focus on improvements to assessment processes rather than substantial change in policy position or intent.

Key matters within the scope of the draft Code Amendment include:

• ensuring the Code’s Rules of Interpretation are up-to-date and provide clear guidance in line with recent case law
• undertaking a language and consistency check to ensure the same terms and expressions are used throughout
• ensuring requirements for assessment are reasonable and practical, including agency referrals
• ensuring definitions within the Code are relevant and up-to-date

Other areas reflected in the proposed amendments concern demolition policy for local heritage places and car parking rates for major open spaces.

Get involved

The Code Amendment is on consultation for 12 weeks and closes 5 pm Tuesday 4 March 2025.

Find out more:

• read the draft Assessment Improvements Code Amendment and attachment A
• take a look at our FAQs
• ask a question
• visit the PlanSA website

Have your say:

• take our survey
• email a submission to plansasubmissions@sa.gov.au
• post your written submission to: Attention: State Planning Commission, GPO Box 1815, Adelaide SA 5001

All written submissions in response to the Code Amendment are required by the close of consultation, 5 pm Tuesday 4 March 2025.

Hard copies of the draft Code Amendment and further information is available for viewing during standard business hours at level 9, 83 Pirie Street, Adelaide.

What are the next steps?

Your feedback will be considered in finalising the Code Amendment and will be captured in an engagement report.

The engagement report will be provided to the State Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning to assist with final decision-making.

Once a decision has been made, the engagement report, including all feedback received during consultation, will be published on this webpage and the PlanSA website. Names and organisations will be included with published submissions but addresses, email addresses and phone numbers will be redacted.