The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) is a directorate of the
Australian Capital Territory government. It was formed from the merger of the Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW) and the ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) on 17 May 2011, after
Katy Gallagher
Katherine Ruth Gallagher (born 18 March 1970) is an Australian politician who has been serving as the Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, Minister for the Public Service and Vice-President of the Executive Council in the Albanese Gove ...
was elected by the
Legislative Assembly as
Chief Minister
A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
the day before.
History
The directorate was formed on 17 May 2011 as the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate (ESDD), replacing and taking over:
[
* Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW)
* ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)
* transport and conservation planning functions from the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (now ]Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate
Transport Canberra & City Services (TCCS) is a directorate of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory of the Australian Capital Territory, responsible for managing roads, footpaths and cycle paths and managing public transport in Can ...
)
* heritage functions and the ACT Government Architect from the Chief Minister's Department (now Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
The Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD) is a directorate of the Australian Capital Territory government, which advises the ACT Chief Minister, currently Andrew Barr.
History
The directorate originated from a ...
)
The directorate was later renamed Environment and Planning Directorate (EPD) before it was finally renamed to its current name in late 2016.
Structure
The directorate is responsible for developing and implementing a wide range of policies and programs across city planning and development, climate change and the environment. , it reports to a number of ministers:
* Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, currently Yvette Berry
Yvette Simone Berry (born 1 August 1968) is an Australian politician and Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She has been a Labor Party member for the seat of Ginninderra in the ACT Legislative Assembly since the 2012 AC ...
* Minister for Employment and Workplace Safety, currently Suzanne Orr
Suzanne Patricia Orr (born 6 February 1982) is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly since October 2016, representing the electorate of Yerrabi. She worked as an urban pla ...
* Minister for the Environment and Heritage, currently Mick Gentleman
Michael (Mick) David Gentleman (born 1 August 1955) is an Australian politician and is a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Brindabella for the Labor Party. He was first elected to t ...
* Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, currently Shane Rattenbury
Shane Stephen Rattenbury (born 25 August 1971), is the Attorney-General of the ACT and former Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly, and a member of the multi-member district unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly repr ...
* Minister for Building Quality Improvement, currently Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay (; born ) is a British chef, restaurateur, television personality and writer. His restaurant group, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, was founded in 1997 and has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall; it currently holds a tot ...
* Minister for Planning and Land Management, currently Mick Gentleman
* Minister for Urban Renewal, currently Rachel Stephen-Smith.
, the Director-General is Ben Ponton.[
]
Activities
Former ACT Planning and Land Authority
Under the ''Planning and Development Act 2007'', the former ACTPLA was required to:
*administer the Territory Plan;
*continually assess the Territory Plan and propose amendments as necessary;
*plan and regulate the development of land;
*advise on planning and land policy, including the broad spatial planning framework for the ACT;
*implement sustainable transport
Sustainable transport refers to ways of transportation that are sustainable in terms of their social and environmental impacts. Components for evaluating sustainability include the particular vehicles used for road, water or air transport; th ...
planning;
*maintain the digital cadastral
A cadastre or cadaster is a comprehensive recording of the real estate or real property's metes-and-bounds of a country.Jo Henssen, ''Basic Principles of the Main Cadastral Systems in the World,'/ref>
Often it is represented graphically in a cad ...
database;
*make available land information;
*grant, administer, vary and end leases on behalf of the Executive;
*grant licenses over unleased Territory land;
*decide applications for approval to undertake development;
*regulate the building industry;
*make orders under the ACT ''Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991'', part 6 (approvals and orders);
*provide planning services, including services to entities outside the ACT;
*review its own decisions;
*provide administrative support and facilities for the Planning and Land Council;
*ensure community consultation and participation in planning decisions; and
*promote public education and understanding of the planning process, including by providing easily accessible public information and documentation on planning and land use.
The Authority stated that it performed its functions independently, free from day-to-day political influences. However, in practice under the then Minister for Planning, Simon Corbell, the Authority often followed direct instruction from the Minister.
External links
EPSDD - Environment website
EPSDD - Planning website
References
{{Government directorates of the Australian Capital Territory
Planning and Land Authority