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About the Development Assessment Panel

The Council has established a Development Assessment Panel (DAP) pursuant to Section 56A of the Development Act, 1993. The Panel considers about 5% of all applications received by Council with the remainder considered by staff under delegations. The DAP considers a wide range of applications ensuring that new development proposals it considers are consistent with the Council's Development Plan.

  
About the DAP

The Panel for the City of Marion comprises seven members; three elected Council members and four community members with particular expertise in planning matters.

The task of a Panel is to assess proposed development against the Development Plan, which sets out the planning policies applicable to the Council area. In doing so, the Panel weighs up the "pros and cons" of an application. This involves a judgement based on whether a development satisfies, or is at variance with the policies set out in the Development Plan.

A Panel cannot grant planning consent if it believes that the proposed development is seriously at variance with the Development Plan. On the other hand, it is unlikely that a proposal will satisfy all policies in the Development Plan and the Panel must therefore determine, on balance, if a development should be approved.

The Panel is presented with a report on every application to be considered. Each report assesses the proposal against the provisions of the Development Plan and includes documentation from the applicant (or their consultant) and copies of representations lodged in respect to the application being considered. Those reports are available to view at Councils Administration Office, Council Libraries or below under "Agendas & Minutes" on the Monday prior to the meeting.

In respect of any matter that is before the Panel or likely to be considered by the Panel, Members of the Development Assessment Panel are not permitted to discuss, comment or express an opinion upon the merits of that matter with applicants, representors, members of the public or government agencies.

  
Meeting Procedure

The Panel Meetings operate on the following basis:

  • The Chair will open the meeting and advise all representors and applicants of the meeting procedure.
  • If considered necessary, the Chair will invite a Council planning officer to outline the application being considered. This is normally done by illustrating the plans and other relevant features (eg development in the locality) to the Panel on an overhead projector.
  • The Chair invites the members of the Panel to ask questions of the planner regarding the application.
  • The Chair then invites those persons who have lodged representations stating that they wish to be heard by the Panel, to come forward and address the Panel.

Each speaker is given up to 5 minutes to address the Panel irrespective of the number of persons being represented by the speaker. Panel members may also ask questions of the person. Representors are free to speak to the overheads that the planner has used or bring their own overheads, and/or other materials, to illustrate a point. Representors are advised to utilise their time wisely by concentrating on the most salient points they wish to raise - there is no need to merely reiterate their written representation as members of the Panel would already have read this material.

  • After hearing the representors, the applicant (and/or their consultant) is invited by the Chair to address the Panel. Again, questions may be asked of the applicant by members of the Panel.
  • The Panel will then exclude the public (including applicants and representors) from the meeting to deliberate and determine applications, taking into consideration the report written by Council's planning staff, the relevant provisions of the Development Plan and the verbal submissions made on the application at the meeting.

Formal notification of the Panel's decision will be posted to the applicant and representors.

  
Agendas and Minutes
  
DAP Charter

 

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