State appoints specialists to DAPs

The state government has appointed 27 specialist members to development assessment panels designed to take pressure off of local governments and streamline the approvals process.

The panels will assess applications worth more than $15 million in the City of Perth, and more than $7 million across other local government jurisdictions and will come into effect as of July 1.

Applicants will also have the option for panels to assess applications between $10 million and $15 million in the City of Perth, and $3 million to $7 million across the rest of the state.

Six panels will preside over the metropolitan area, split into regions Perth, Central, West, North West, East and South West.

A further nine panels will be established to assess development applications in regional WA.

The Western Australian president of the Planning Institute of Australia, Paul Kotsoglo will head up the panel presiding over Perth and Department of Planning executive director Charles Johnson the central region.

Former Midland Redevelopment Authority chief executive Megan Bartle will preside over the West region, Syme Marmon & Co urban planner Karen Hyde will oversee the North West region, Architect Eugene Koltasz the East region and Planning Consultants Australia director Neil Foley will oversee the South West.

Mr Foley will also preside over the South West regional panel.

Other presiding members include town planner Rob Paull for Peel and Great Southern, David Gray for the Wheatbelt and Goldfields Esperance, Kalamunda town planner Rory O'Brien for the Mid-West and City of Perth design advisory committee member Ed Turner will take care of the Gascoyne panel.

Planning Minister John Day said two elected local government members will be appointed to each panel in due course.

A full list of the appointed specialists is available at http://daps.planning.wa.gov.au/32.asp