PCE letter to Minister Bishop on urban development and climate

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has written to Housing and Planning Minister, Chris Bishop, urging the Government to consider how its new planning system can support climate-resilient urban development.

The Commissioner highlighted concerns that increasingly dense urban growth, combined with reduced green space and more impermeable surfaces, could create harder, hotter suburbs that are more vulnerable to flooding and extreme heat.

The letter encourages the Government to consider how new planning templates, zoning rules and development standards will address these challenges and adapt to cumulative environmental impacts over time.