The Mobile Carriers Forum (MCF) has welcomed the review of Victoria’s Planning System and the 1987 Planning and Environment Act, which comes after more than 21 years of operation.

The MCF has made a submission in response to “Modernising Victoria’s Planning Act: A discussion paper on opportunities to improve the Planning and Environment Act 1987”, which was recently released by the Victorian Minister for Planning Justin Madden MLC. The review aims to simplify current laws, remove redundant provisions, and strengthen timeliness in the planning process, including an examination of planning permit processes leading to development approval.

“The MCF is particularly well placed to comment on the effectiveness of the Planning System in Victoria,” said MCF Program Manager Matt Evans. According to the MCF’s National Site Archive, nearly 4000 mobile network base stations have been established in Victoria, accounting for approximately 25% of the national total. Many of these were established following the granting of planning approval via lengthy Council processes with little regard for the original intent of Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act or Regulations.

In 2007-08 MCF Carriers lodged 129 Planning Permit Applications with Victorian Councils for new mobile network telecommunications infrastructure – usually new poles or towers. Almost without exception these Permit Applications were processed by Councils well outside statutory timeframes, ultimately delaying the provision of mobile network services.

“Whilst the MCF commends the standardised Planning rules for telecommunications facilities that exist in Victoria, which are in many ways superior to those in other States, the mobile network carriers are being let down by the capacity of many Victorian Councils to process Permit Applications in a timely manner”.

In its submission the MCF encourages the Victorian State Government to think more strategically about how mobile telecommunications could solve some of the town planning dilemmas facing Melbourne.

Telstra’s recently released Whitepaper: “Using ICT to Drive your Sustainability Strategy”, observes that “teleworking is becoming an attractive alternative to Australia’s increasingly mobile employees, who have to contend with increasing fuel costs and longer commutes, due to the sprawl of Australia’s major cities”.

Mr Evans said: “If Planning in Victoria needs a new legislative basis founded on the principles of sustainability, then the benefits of mobile telecommunications infrastructure delivered to cities and regions should be recognised accordingly.”