PLATINUM SPONSOR

Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) within the Department for Trade and Investment oversees the planning and land use system for South Australia. This includes planning and development, architecture, design and land use to grow our economy and create liveable and sustainable communities that enhance the lives of all South Australians, both now and into the future. 

We work with the community and practitioners to plan our state’s towns and cities, including master-planned communities, transport networks, recreation spaces and supporting infrastructure. With a focus on the future of South Australia, we want to unlock economic growth while continuing to protect our natural environment to ensure our state is the best place to live, work and play. 

PLUS manages PlanSA, Australia’s first integrated and comprehensive ePlanning platform and online system, that represents the most significant improvement to planning and development legislation in South Australia’s history – showcasing SA’s drive to be a leader in planning across the globe. 

 PlanSA allows you to search property zoning, review development rules, and track major projects and development activity across the state via an online planning system with everything in one place. South Australia’s modern planning system is creating a better future for South Australia.

Platinum Sponsor Spotlight

Welcome to Adelaide! 

PlanSA is proud to be able to showcase Adelaide and all of South Australia as the hosts of the PIA Congress 2023. Please enjoy a world of new experiences and things to do in our vibrant city; the arts, food and wine, architecture and parklands. 

PlanSA is thrilled to be a Platinum Sponsor of the PIA Congress 2023. 

 Sally Smith is the Executive Director of the Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) directorate within the South Australian Department for Trade and Investment. PLUS manages the planning and land use systems for South Australia, including PlanSA.

Q. What are you and the PLUS team focused on at the moment?

A. Our team is currently crafting the 30 year vision for Greater Adelaide and our six country regions. As planners this will probably be the most impactful piece of work we undertake in our careers. We have the opportunity to shape our city and the state for future generations. It is really exciting and fascinating work – how do you plan for inevitable growth and change while maintaining our strong sense of heritage and protecting the environment. These are big questions and as a planning team we are thriving. We will soon be launching our Greater Adelaide Regional Plan Discussion Paper which will be the trigger for community and stakeholder engagement. We hope this will add a whole new perspective as we shape where we live, how we live, where we work and what our communities look like through to 2051 and beyond.

Q. What would you consider PLUS’ most significant achievement?

A.In 2021 we launched Australia’s first ePlanning platform – PlanSA - which was a giant leap-forward in terms of innovation and planning accessibility. The significant increase in our capabilities and the level of efficiency we’ve achieved have had a profound impact of our service delivery. It is a 24/7 fully digital planning system that enable our customers access to all planning information and processes. We have a dedicated team who are continually making improvements to the platform and responding to the feedback of our clients. I think this is invaluable as it ensures that PlanSA evolves and adapts with ours and our stakeholders’ planning needs. We’re very proud of PlanSA’s ongoing success. 

I also can’t help mention that the functionality of our new ePlaning platform would not be possible without the replacement of 72 Development Plans (or Planning Schemes) into one State-wide Planning and Design Code. This enable all development applications to be made through a single portal. It also allows non-planners to call up the rules that only apply to their land, based on their proposed land use. Never has planning be so accessible in SA. 

A bonus of running an ePlanning platform in house, means our Planning Department is made up of a range of skills, including IT and customer service expertise. Planners and IT experts working together can make good things happen.

Q. What excites you most about planning in South Australia?

A. With the implementation and success of PlanSA, it has enabled us to lift ourselves out of the mundane. The digitisation of our planning system frees us as policy-makers to focus on strategic thinking and more complex assessments. We can elevate the work that ignites us as planners now that so much of the planning process can be managed by the ePlanning platform. The other gift of PlanSA is that it delivers us unprecedented data on land use across the state. This is invaluable when it comes to the analysis and rigorous research required for projects such as our regional planning program. 

We’re leaning into innovation in all areas of our work now. I’m fascinated by what more we can do with our electronic system and what the potential impact and opportunities will be for planners and communities. We’re very fortunate in South Australia to have a cultural focus on innovation and new technologies, exemplified by tech hubs such as Lot 14 and Tonsley. It is inspiring to be in this community and exciting for the future of planning. 

I’m also very invested in understanding global megatrends. We can’t just look to the past as a source of knowledge but rather look to the future and understand what is on the horizon. The kids being born today will have vastly different priorities to those of today – how they live and work and what they want their sustainable communities to be. COVID and rapid digitisation has taught us that we can react and change quickly, we need to be nimble on our thinking and open to new ideas.

Q. What are the unique challenges for PLUS?

A. Planning is always a balancing act. For us in Adelaide, we work hard to find the balance between greenfield and infill growth. Not all of the Greater Adelaide region can or should be used to supply land for urban development. Adelaide has limited land we can consider for long-term growth, with the coastline to the west, the Hills to the east, and policies to protect the valuable food and wine regions surrounding the urban area. What we must do is be strategic and considered about our greenfield opportunities and we must do infill better. This will be a key component of our 30 year plan we’re currently preparing so that we can best enable the anticipated growth and change of the region.

Q. As a leader, what do you hope to bring to the work environment?

A. I am a big believer that we should be enjoying our time together at work so culture is very important to me. We have many smart people in our team with a great diversity of skills, it’s a joy to see them come together and enjoy their workplace. An important element of my role is to help facilitate this. The team are extremely committed and have a strong work ethic but we also provide opportunities to enhance their wellbeing and participate socially. It’s about getting the work/life balance right which I think is something South Australians are very good at.

Q. As host city of PIA Congress 2023, what would you recommend to our delegates?

A. The food and wine in Adelaide are exceptional. There’s a fantastic energy to Peel and Leigh Sts offering some delicious food and great bars. East Rundle is lined with great shopping and comes alive at night with its outdoor restaurants. There is always something fabulous on offer with our Arts scene so be sure to check out the program of events for City of Adelaide and Adelaide Festival Centre, including the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Art Gallery. If you’re after something more relaxing or to burn off some of the calories, take one of the many walks or rides through the gorgeous parklands that ring the city or coastpark that runs along our suburban beaches. We’re also very parochial when it comes to the AFL as you may have noticed during the recent Gather Round. Even if not a Crows or Port fan you’ll love the atmosphere of Adelaide Oval. Enjoy!

Thank you Sally