At the 13 May 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting (Item 15.2.1), Council determined to advertise the proposed amendment to Local Planning Policy (LPP) 5.18.

The provisions of LPP 5.18 have been mostly retained, with the below changes being proposed:

1. Street tree contribution fee update: The existing fee for street tree contributions has been removed. The fees are now specified in the City’s Fees and Charges Schedule. This approach ensures that fees remain current and can be adjusted as needed without requiring a policy review.
2. Inclusion of street tree removal requirements: The amended policy formalises the requirement for financial contributions related to street tree removals associated with planning applications. This strengthens the City's ability to recover costs for removals and asset loss while encouraging the retention of existing street trees.
3. Developer planted street trees: Developers will now have the option to plant street trees as part of their Development Application landscaping plan or to meet subdivision clearance requirements.
4. Improved planting and procurement standards: The previous Policy lacked formal standards for street tree planting and procurement. The revised policy introduces new requirements for subdivisions and Development Applications to address concerns regarding poor tree stock, soil quality, and substandard planting practices.
5. Bonding Provisions for Large Subdivisions: For large-scale, multi-stage subdivisions, the policy now includes an option to bond only the final stage of development.
6. Expanded scope: The policy has been updated to apply to the entire Local Government area, rather than being limited to specific zoning. This ensures consistency across all areas and future-proofs the policy against potential zoning changes or ambiguities.

To help guide the City consider the proposed changes, the community is invited to share their feedback. Once the consultation period ends, City Officers will review the submissions and considerations, which may lead to amendments to the draft LPP 5.18. The draft policy will then be considered by the City’s Governance Committee.

The City will then make a recommendation to the Council; who will then determine the final outcome at an OCM. If you make a submission you will be advised of the OCM date prior.