Submission to DPIE Infrastructure Contributions: Proposed Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Infrastructure Contributions) Regulation 2021
10th December 2021
Summary:
RE-Alliance broadly supports the “move towards a principles-based infrastructure contributions system based on certainty, efficiency, simplicity, transparency and consistency”. Our submission pertains to the aspects of the proposed amendments that relate to the renewable energy industry, specifically amendment 3.4 “Improving revenue collected under section 7.12 contributions plans” and amendment 3.5 “Changes to public participation on draft planning agreements”.
Our submission will outline the importance of building social licence in communities set to host renewable energy projects, particularly renewable energy zones, and how this relates to the Proposed Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Infrastructure Contributions) Regulation 2021.
More specifically, our submission suggests that greater clarity is required around the interplay between voluntary planning agreements (VPAs), local contributions and community enhancement funds (CEFs) that are often established for wind and solar developments.