Community Engagement Charter update: improving public participation in SA’s key planning decisions

Have your say on how the community participates in key planning decisions in South Australia.

What's being decided?

We are seeking your feedback on proposed improvements to our Community Engagement Charter, which provides opportunities for South Australians to influence how we live work and move in our urban and rural areas.

The Charter guides community participation in preparing and amending key planning policies and strategies that shape the places they value.

The proposed changes aim to ensure engagement is inclusive and respectful for all South Australians by offering opportunities for the following communities to influence planning decisions that affect or interest them:

• First Nations
• youth
• culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• people living with disability and neurodiverse communities
• businesses, workers and employers.

The proposed changes also aim to streamline delivering planning rules, such as rezoning land, by introducing a new engagement process for ‘complying changes’.

We have also updated the wording to better reflect that the Community Engagement Charter is now a well-established part of the South Australian planning system and the mandatory engagement requirements outlined in the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

Background

The Community Engagement Charter was established in 2018 as part of South Australia’s new planning system to help build community trust and confidence in the planning system by providing an engagement framework that is robust and adaptable.

The State Planning Commission carried out its inaugural 5-year review of the Community Engagement Charter late last year and the proposed improvements to the charter reflect their recommendations.

Following the conclusion of the Regional Planning Program, we will conduct a more in-depth review of the Community Engagement Charter.

Get involved

Share your feedback on proposed updates to the Community Engagement Charter by 5 pm, Thursday 6 June.

Find out more:

• read the draft Community Engagement Charter with marked-up changes
• take a look at our frequently asked questions
• read our fact sheet
• register for an upcoming information session:
  • Tuesday 16 April, 2 pm to 3 pm
  • Thursday 9 May, 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Have your say by:

• taking our survey
• emailing a submission to: PlanSAsubmissions@sa.gov.au
  (subject: Submission – Community Engagement Charter)
• posting your submission to:
  Submission – Community Engagement Charter
  Department for Trade and Investment
  GPO Box 1815, ADELAIDE SA 5001

Hard copies of the draft Community Engagement Charter are available for viewing during standard business hours at Level 9, 83 Pirie Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000.

Note: we encourage the Kangaroo Island community to get involved in the Kangaroo Island regional planning process, taking place alongside the Community Engagement Charter consultation, to ensure they have their say on future planning policies such as rezoning land for future development.

What are the next steps?

We will consider all feedback and prepare an Engagement Report for the Minister’s consideration, which we will publish on this webpage and the PlanSA website.

Your views will help us to update the Community Engagement Charter to reflect community expectations for public participation in preparing and amending key planning policies and strategies.