Yass Valley

HillPDA was commissioned by the Yass Valley Council to prepare new development contribution plans for the local government area (LGA). The plans were required to position Council to respond to population growth and growing demand for infrastructure. The existing development contribution framework had become increasingly outdated and complex, in part due to changes to council boundaries in 2004, with multiple contribution plans applying to the same LGA.

The existing contributions framework was created prior to the Yass Valley LEP 2013 and predated the introduction of the Exempt and Complying SEPP 2008. Revised development contributions plans were needed if Council was to collect appropriate monies for infrastructure provision.

The new development contributions plans that HillPDA prepared reflected current best practice and responded to the local situation. In general, the plans were:

• Easy to understand and interpret
• Clearly defined, in terms of plan management and financial accounting components
• ‘Reasonable’ and provided the most appropriate outcome with regard to: Maximising development contribution revenue and infrastructure delivery , Minimising the need to find matching funds and Maximising flexibility in infrastructure delivery (projects and timing).

Outcome

The development contributions plan complemented the Yass Valley Settlement Strategy and other strategic plans of Council. The new plans enabled the repeal of the six existing plans currently applicable to the LGA.

The development contribution plan achieved a consolidated outcome that complemented the Settlement Strategy.

Services:

• GIS Mapping
• Policy analysis
• Planning legislation
• Planning provision drafting
• Demographic analysis
• Social infrastructure needs assessment
• Infrastructure costing and development contributions

Client: Yass Valley Council
Project date: 2018

For more information, contact Elizabeth Griffin, Principal