The State Planning Office (SPO) has a central role in achieving the Tasmanian Government’s vision for the planning system. This involves building and maintaining the planning system and ongoing consultation with key stakeholders, the public, community and industry.
The central roles of the SPO are to:
- provide advice and support to the Minister for Planning
- support planning reform processes and maintenance of the planning system
- develop and advise on planning policy
- provide general advice on the planning system.
The SPO's support for the Minister for Planning can involve a variety of tasks, like advising on drafting of amendments to the Land Use and Planning Approvals Act 1993 in line with the Government’s planning reforms, the preparation of the Tasmanian Planning Policies, draft amendments to the State Planning Provisions and their periodic review. The SPO also provides administrative support for the Minister for broad consultation, where the public are invited to comment on proposed changes.
The SPO also assists other government departments to better integrate land use planning within government projects, and regularly provides advice and resources to planning professionals, councils, industry and the community.
The SPO manages this website as a key tool to help the public understand how the planning system works.
The SPO does not have a role in:
- deciding development applications
- reviewing decisions made by councils
- zoning changes other than through housing land supply orders
- approving and amending Local Provision Schedules (LPSs)
- investigating noncompliance with planning requirements
- how councils are administering the planning legislation.
Decisions on development applications and LPSs are made by councils and the Commission. Enforcement of planning requirements is primarily the responsibility of councils, and appeals on development applications are determined by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
