A planning expert has criticised the state government’s plan to allow developers to make in-kind infrastructure contributions in growth areas, instead of making cash payments.
RMIT’s Professor Michael Buxton said it was a “bad idea” that could lead to developers setting the priorities for roads including arterial roads and freeways, footpaths, walking and cycling trails, health and education facilities, libraries, community facilities, stormwater management and IT infrastructure.
“It shouldn’t be left to developers to be making the decisions on what infrastructure is needed,” Professor Buxton said. “[Planning] infrastructure should be a matter for the state government working with local government.”
Professor Buxton said the government’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution works-in-kind plan was unclear about how priorities would be set. “I am dubious about the process; it’s not clear enough.”
He said developers might choose to undertake infrastructure projects to benefit their own plans, rather than working on projects that would help the wider community.
It was no use to provide a major intersection if congestion on surrounding local roads was not fixed, Professor Buxton said, adding that there had to be balance between physical infrastructure, such as roads, and social infrastructure, like community facilities.
LeadWest’s chief executive, Craig Rowley, said the government’s plan would “accelerate” the provision of infrastructure in growth areas. He said developers building roads in their own subdivisions already had the equipment and staff in place to do other road works in kind, instead of paying cash into a government pool.
He said the works in kind could also include community halls, maternal child and health care centres, kindergartens and sport and recreation facilities.
Planning Minister Matthew Guy said the plan would allow developers to provide infrastructure alongside new housing and remove the “costly need to acquire land later … ensuring better integration of public and private facilities”.
