In particular, we want to see upper level setbacks for mid-rise development and parking minimums abolished statewide. Architects are best placed to make these decisions, not unaccountable council planners.

We want to see DPHI take over and write a DCP for the whole state, which only manages genuine, evidence-based externalities. These should be far more flexible, clear-cut and permissive than the current mess.

The Marrickville DCP- covering just a third of Inner West Council- runs to over 1,300 pages. It's clear that many councils can't be trusted to apply a DCPs fairly and efficiently.

often with no real evidence that the controls bring any public benefit. If you don't like the way that modern buildings look, your local council’s DCP is substantially to blame. Here are some examples of how DCPs are used to slow down and make development worse: x.com/philipthalis...

Development Control Plans (DCPs) micromanage the design of buildings, covering things like setbacks, parking and shade. Over time, these have become far too complex and restrictive, preventing architects from doing their job and limiting what can be built,

These changes would both simplify our controls and create loads of extra capacity in desirable and well serviced locations.

It’s clear that existing zoning isn’t working to colocate homes with infrastructure (see emptying schools in Bondi coupled w anaemic targets for Waverley).

3. Simplify zones to define broad uses rather than desired character. No more R2/R3/R4, just ‘Residential’, ‘Industrial’, ‘Town Centre’, etc.
4. Default height based on proximity to train stations: 15 storeys in close proximity, declining to 6 storeys 800m out.