Spinning the wheel: Examining decision making process and outcomes in development assessment

An increased emphasis on consolidated city policies has heightened development pressure on existing urban areas. This has occurred alongside increased resident resistance to development. The development assessment process, culminating in the issuing or refusal of planning permits, seeks to mediate this tension. A frequently voiced concern of developer and resident groups alike is the extent of disagreement between decisions makers involved in the assessment process - planning officers, elected representatives and appeal bodies - on the merits of a development proposal. This resulting uncertainty is perceived to hamper investment decisions, increase developer costs and unsettle local communities. This paper examines in detail the determinations of decision makers in the development assessment process. The case study is based on an examination of the 2011 calendar year of planning permit applications determined across all 31 local government areas in Melbourne, Victoria. Drawing together planning permit data, Council meeting minutes and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decisions, we compare the determinations of planning officers, elected officials and the appeal tribunal. The data reveals that in a significant number of cases there is disagreement in decision maker determinations. While we find that the majority of applications were ultimately granted planning approval, there is little consistency between the determinations of each party, with a range of factors influencing decision making during each stage of the process.