DAPR-OWLS Process

Development Assessment Process Reform – Operational Works and Large Subdivision (DAPR-OWLS) project, a Council of Mayors (SEQ) initiative aimed at reducing the assessment timeframes for large subdivisions and the majority of operational works applications. PlanDev Business Solutions was engaged by the Council of Mayors (SEQ) to lead and undertake large portions of this project. Information on the DAPR-OWLS project is available at the DAPR-OWLS website.

Project Overview

On 14 June 2011, as a result of the Building Revival Forum, the Queensland Government announced a number of major actions to address issues currently facing the building industry.  One of these actions was the Development Assessment Process Reform – Operational Works and Large Subdivision (DAPR-OWLS) project, a Council of Mayors (SEQ) initiative aimed at reducing the assessment timeframes for large subdivisions and the majority of operational works applications.

A contribution of $2 million in State Government funding was allocated to the delivery of the DAPR-OWLS project, over a 12 month period. Through an increase in certainty and a reduction in assessment timeframes, it is anticipated the project will boost the level of residential development in Queensland.

In addition to a streamlined assessment process, the DAPR-OWLS project also aimed to foster a collaborative relationship between councils and applicants. Therefore, when we referred to the “development industry”, it includes all contributors to the process – developers, councils and supporting consultancies.

Local government is often not included in the collective term “development industry”, however, councils play an extremely important role in the industry as both a regulator and, more importantly, a facilitator of development.

Since the inception of DAPR-OWLS, the project team has worked closely with development industry to investigate effective and sustainable ways to streamline the assessment process. Through information gathering, pilot activities and stakeholder input, the project has developed a number of improvements to assist the development industry to achieve the project objective.

Project Objectives

The project aimed to achieve a minimum 25% reduction in assessment times for large residential subdivisions (i.e. 20 lots or greater) and the majority of operational works applications.

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To achieve this, the project accomplished the following objectives:

 

  • Improve the operational works assessment process (i.e. post development assessment) through a range of improvements that includes self-assessment and compliance assessment supported by an accreditation model;
  • Develop tools and services that will provide greater certainty in, and reduced complexity of, the development process;
  • Reduce holding costs of large residential developments through a range of process reform activities;
  • Apply a proven process reform methodology to development assessment activities in high growth Queensland councils; and
  • Ensure project outcomes deliver more efficient processes while maintaining the current level of quality planning outcomes.

 

Partnering Organisations

The DAPR-OWLS project was a Council of Mayors (SEQ) initiative in partnership with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), and funded by the State Government. The councils involved in the first stage of the project include Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Redland, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Gladstone, Mackay and Townsville. Each organisation agreeded to be involved in this improvement project and signed a partnering agreement to identify each parties’ roles and responsibilities to deliver on the objectives of the project.

Methodology

The implementation approach used throughout the DAPR-OWLS project is based on a proven process reform methodology. This approach was used throughout the successful implementation of the Target 5 Days project, and has been expanded for this project to address the current assessment processes for large subdivisions and operational works applications.