COUNCIL staff are frantically overhauling the planning process to appease frustrated developers.
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By council’s own admission there is “significant political and community frustration with the city’s planning framework”, including the Local Environmental Plan (LEP), Development Control Plan (DCP) and developer contributions.
Mayor Rod Kendall said elected council officials “promised we would have reviewed substantial sections of the key planning documents by 2015 and that hasn’t happened”.
Council tentatively expects the review to be completed by early 2018.
Councillor Kerry Pascoe claimed council had a responsibility to “move the line on the map for all the developers and would-be developers”.
“The basic rule of thumb is we need more homes and the LEP provides for the expansion of the city,” Cr Pascoe said.
“It’s a complicated and drawn out process, as the documents need to pass through loops and hoops of regulatory bodies, even down to weed control.”
It comes as council’s director of planning and regulatory services Andrew Crakanthorp was stood down on paid leave four months ago following undisclosed allegations levelled against him.
The results of an independent investigation into Mr Crakanthorp have been presented to council general manager Alan Eldridge, but a final decision on his future won’t be made until the besieged public servant is given a chance to defend himself.
In a statement council thanked Wagga for its “continued patience”.