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Unit Summary
Unit aim
Examines the crucial role of local government in relation to environmental decision-making, and its powers and functions generally. It provides a comprehensive grasp of planning laws within New South Wales, and provides a critical perspective on these laws. Local government has significant powers over the environment, and additional delegated authority under the Local Government Act 1993.
Unit content
Module 1: The NSW Planning Law Regime: 'Who Decides What?' Role and Responsibilities of Local Councils. Planning Instruments.
Module 2: Honesty, Procedural Fairness, and Disclosure of Councillors' Interests
Module 3: Funding of Local Councils: Levying Rates: Local Councils' Regulatory and Service Functions: Management of Community Lands
Module 4: The Development Approval Process: Modification of Consents and Planning Instruments; Continuing and Existing Use Rights
Module 5: Local Councils' Enforcement Role
Module 6: Appeals and Judicial Review: The NSW Land & Environment Court
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | |
|---|---|
| 1 | demonstrate an understanding of the constitution and structure of local government, and the way in which environmental planning instruments are made |
| 2 | apply environmental planning instruments to an existing or proposed development and explain the process for obtaining local government approval for an activity |
| 3 | critically evaluate the existing system of planning and emerging challenges |
| 4 | analyse and apply in any given factual situation the law with respect to the processes of local government decision-making. |
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the constitution and structure of local government, and the way in which environmental planning instruments are made
- apply environmental planning instruments to an existing or proposed development and explain the process for obtaining local government approval for an activity
- critically evaluate the existing system of planning and emerging challenges
- analyse and apply in any given factual situation the law with respect to the processes of local government decision-making.
Prescribed texts
Students should have access to electronic copies of the legislation referred to in the Unit, most importantly the Local Government Act 1993, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. Current versions of the Acts and accompanying regulations can be found at < www.legislation.nsw.gov.au > and < www.austlii.edu.au >.
- Prescribed text information is not currently available.