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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 9 Hansard (23 November) . . Page.. 2559 ..

The ACT Planning Authority is intending to prepare a retail strategy options paper which, at this stage, should be released for public consultation, in early 1996. The strategy will draw on the completed Ibecon retail study, the current retail trading hours inquiry and a proposed social impact assessment of local centres. The Government should then be in a position to make a considered assessment of the retail hierarchy for Canberra. Any change to the retail hierarchy will require a variation to the Territory Plan.

6. The Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991 requires the Minister to make a decision on any application lodged within the statutory period; usually 18 or 20 weeks unless the time is extended to require further information or the applicant requests that further time be given to enable the application to be assessed.

Decisions on applications are made in accordance with the policies and guidelines which exist at the time. For instance, the ACT Planning Authority assesses development applications in accordance with the principles and policies set out in the Territory Plan and such additional Matters for Consideration that are in Part D of the Plan.

The Government is currently considering an interim strategy to facilitate dealing with the wide range of proposed retail changes at town, group and local centres prior to the completion of a retail strategy.

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