TRRA Inc. is one of 460 Community Groups affiliated to the Better Planning Network , a volunteer-based organisation formed at the end of August 2012 by Community Groups concerned about the NSW Government’s planning reforms.
The BPN is campaigning for a visionary planning system that fosters environmental and social sustainability with best planning design outcomes. As such, the BPN is a signatory to Planning for People: A Community Charter for Good Planning in NSW.
A Community Charter for Good Planning in NSW
Planning for People
The Planning for the People Charter has been developed by Better Planning Network to guide government on community expectations on future planning laws. The Charter and its Companion have been developed and endorsed by a number of public interest organisations, including the National Trust of Australia (NSW), Nature Conservation Council of NSW, National Parks Association of NSW. Total Environment Centre, Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), Our Land Our Water Our Future and the Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development.
The Charter sets a community vision, key principles and desired outcomes for good planning in NSW, a copy can be found at the new website www.thecommunitycharter.org along with the companion document that details these principles and outcomes.
Good planning is governed by the following principles:
• The well-being of the whole community, the environment and future generations across regional, rural and urban NSW.
• Effective and genuine public participation in strategic planning and development decisions.
• An open, accessible, transparent and accountable, corruption-free planning system.
• The integration of land use planning with the provision of infrastructure and the conservation of our natural, built and cultural environment.
• Objective, evidence-based assessment of strategic planning and development proposals.
These principles will guide a planning system that:
• Respects, values and conserves our natural environment and the services it provides.
• Facilitates world-class urban environments with well-designed, resource-efficient housing, public spaces and solar access that meet the needs of residents, workers and pedestrians.
• Provides housing choice, including affordable housing and sufficient housing for the disadvantaged, in a diversity of locations.
• Celebrates, respects and conserves our cultural (including Aboriginal) and built heritage.
• Protects and sustainably manages our natural resources, including our water resources, fragile coastlines and irreplaceable agricultural land for the benefit of present and future generations while maintaining or enhancing ecological processes and biological diversity.
• Retains and protects our crown lands, natural areas, landscapes and flora and fauna for the benefit of the people of NSW.
• Gives local and regional communities a genuine and meaningful voice in shaping their local area and region, its character and the location, height and density of housing. Provides certainty and fairness to communities.
TRRA Inc. at our general meeting held on 8th September 2014 unanimously passed a resolution to endorse the Charter, thereby agreeing to supporting its contents, and willing to publicly say so.
As well as community groups, individuals like you also have the opportunity to endorse the Charter either online or by downloading a form from the web site www.thecommunitycharter.org .
It is hoped with the lead-up to the NSW State Elections in March 2015 that the need for good planning is placed on the agenda of electors and candidates, with local groups and individuals encouraging their local candidates to endorse.
** PS: 6 of the 8 candidates in the Newcastle by-election endorsed the charter at its launch 11 September 2014.
140905 Hunter Valley Community Charter Launch 11 September
140905 Full Charter Companion – Planning for People
140905 Planning for People_ CHARTER – Printer Version
Related BPN posts HERE
