Proposed updates to planning regulations set to boost efficient land supply

Initiated by the Housing Roadmap, proposed updates to SA’s planning regulations aim to increase the efficient supply of land and houses across the state.

The draft Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) (Miscellaneous) (No 2) Amendment Regulations 2025 (PDF, 2240 KB) proposes several amendments to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) Regulations 2017 (General Regulations).

Proposed key amendments to the General Regulations would:

• enable councils to maintain trees in a timely manner
• avoid unnecessary delays or uncertainty by ensuring that land divisions meeting relevant design standards no longer require council consent for vesting of public land
• increase the time to assess complex applications and gather information to assist decision-making
• clarify that under certain conditions, planning and land division consent can be issued over an allotment that is yet to be created
• halve the processing time provided for simpler land divisions (10 or less allotments without creation of public road)
• provide certainty for applicants about which version of the Code applies to their project
• provide both public and private schools equal exemptions for performing tree maintenance works
• exclude electric vehicle charging stations from the definition of 'development'.

Other proposed changes would make local councils the authority for assessing minor variations, ensure planning consent decisions can only be made by accredited planning professionals, and give landowners easier access to documentation relevant to their property through local council.

Feedback on the proposed amendments can be submitted on the PlanSA website or via the YourSAy website by 22 April 2025.