policies and products

• Best practices for planning and development
• Apia physical framework 2003 - 2013
• Implementation priorities 2003 - 2006
• Draft planning and development guidelines for housing
• Planning and Urban Management Act 2004

Best practices for planning and development

The key role of PUMA is to carry out its planning and urban management functions by developing a Planning and Policy Frameworkto address current demands on PUMA. The major focus of the framework in on Apia and urban growth directions. An analysis of population trends indicates that most of the future population growth is likely to occur in Apia and adjoining areas to the west. Trends indicate that population growth will lead to continued pressure on the resources of Apia as well as continued economic, social and environmental change within wider regions of Upolu and Savaii.

An Apia Physical Framework Plan 2003-2013, has been prepared as part of the Planning and Policy Framework. Key themes in the plan are environmental management and minimizing the environmental impacts of development and land use conflicts through regulating development. PUMA will continue to refine the Apia Physical Framework Plan to reflect those values, aspirations, issues and concerns that are considered most important in the Samoan context.

The Planning and Policy Framework for PUMA is a key reference document that PUMA is now using to guide its future development. The most pressing planning and policy priorities derived from the Planning and Policy Framework for PUMA are subsequently developed and detailed in the overarching PUMA Implementation Priorities 2003-2006 as well as other outputs have been incorporated into the PUMA Business Plan and PUMA Section Action Plans.

The Planning and Development Guidelines for Housing was developed as a resource document for PUMA to address social and environment concerns with housing. The Guidelines ensure that reasonable levels of safety, health and amenity are provided for in the planning process for residential development. The Guidelines are intended to apply to all of Samoa but with an emphasis on Apia and Government’s new town settlement of Salelologa. Other measures can be developed over time to met desired outcomes as capacity, resources and community acceptance allow.

The Planning and Urban Management Act 2004 defines development broadly and considers its impacts on the ‘total’ environment, social, economic and bio-physical complies with Samoan statute drafting protocol. The PUMA Act 2004 has been passed into law early January 2004 and will be enforce by July 2004.