Perth Planning News Thread

A new edition of the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas came into effect on Saturday 28 September 2019.

The release of the new edition of the Map is part of Stage 1B of the Bushfire Framework Review 2019 which includes removal of parcels of managed vegetation within the Perth Metropolitan Central planning sub-region.

The Map is available on the Department of Fire and Emergency Services website.

 

Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale Draft Local Planning Strategy and Draft Local Planning Scheme No. 3 currently out for public comment:
http://www.sjshire.wa.gov.au/your-say/planning-for-growth-2/

 

Community Titles Discussion Paper
The Western Australian Planning Commission and Landgate are welcoming feedback on the Community Titles Act 2018 Discussion Paper that looks at how the new community titles schemes may work in practice in Western Australia.
https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/strata-title-reform

 

Department of Planning Lands + Heritage update:

From tomorrow (12 February) all Western Australian Planning Commission monthly meeting agendas will be published online, as part of early actions outlined in the Action Plan for Planning Reform to increase transparency.

Key elements of the changes include:

• publication of WAPC meeting agendas and minutes, similar to the current arrangements for the SPC
• publication of complete officer reports for a greater range of statutory planning proposals, with consistent approaches adopted for similar types of proposals considered by the WAPC or SPC
• introduction and publication of a Key Matters Coversheet (KMC) to provide greater information on some confidential statutory planning proposals
• notification of local governments and applicants via email seven days in advance of a meeting, upon publication of the agenda on the DPLH website.

The KMC will assist interested parties to quickly understand the key determinative issues likely to be considered by the WAPC or SPC and enable interested parties to make informed and focussed deputations.

It is estimated that the KMC will be used for approximately 35 per cent of SPC reports. For the WAPC, around 25 per cent of currently confidential reports will be published in full under the new arrangements with the KMC used for an extra 15 per cent of reports.

A trial of the new practices for SPC meetings was undertaken in late 2019 and the WAPC will implement the new practices for its meeting on 19 February 2020.

A new online form has also been developed for parties wishing to make deputations or presentations to the WAPC or SPC.

The new arrangements support planning reform goals by improving access to and understanding of decision-making by the WAPC and SPC and ultimately supporting the creation of great places for Western Australians.

 

Media Statements - New METRONET precincts to unlock potential of Perth’s east
Thursday, 19 March 2020

• METRONET project areas created in Bayswater and Forrestfield
• Vibrant, connected town centres to be integrated with new train stations
• Redevelopment scheme will guide future development
• Six METRONET Projects underway this year, creating and supporting local jobs

Vibrant community centres in Bayswater and Forrestfield are a step closer with the formal establishment of redevelopment area boundaries, together with Midland, forming the new METRONET East projects.

A METRONET project area will be put in place around Bayswater train station and town centre to maximise development opportunities arising from the station upgrades and help create a well-designed and connected community hub.

The area around the future Forrestfield train station has also been designated a METRONET project area, paving the way for the area to be transformed into an activity centre and employment hub.

DevelopmentWA will progress the METRONET East Redevelopment Scheme to guide future development, in consultation with local government and the community.

The METRONET East Redevelopment Scheme is expected to be in effect by late 2020. Once in place DevelopmentWA will assume planning authority for the project areas from respective local governments and the Western Australian Planning Commission.

Comments attributed to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:
"METRONET is creating more than just new train stations - it's also creating well-connected, accessible community hubs which will service the needs of locals and visitors.

"We recognise certain station precincts have the potential to become major activity centres - we are putting the necessary planning frameworks in place to unlock that potential and encourage investment in new housing, services and jobs.

"By bringing the Bayswater and Forrestfield station projects under METRONET East, we will attract much needed private investment to help transform these centres into authentic places where people want to live, work and visit.

"The formation of the new METRONET East Bayswater and Forrestfield project areas provides a level of certainty for local residents, businesses and landowners about what they may be able to do on their land in the future.

"The revitalisation of the Bayswater and Forrestfield station precincts will ensure the train station upgrades and future development of the surrounding areas are successfully integrated."

https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Default.aspx

 

Last week, the Town of Cambridge announced their approved COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Plan in relation to financial measures and business assistance. The Town’s plan waives the Building Permit and Planning Development Application fees for a period of three months, from 15 March 2020; waives the Building Permit and Planning Development Application fees for a period of three months, from 15 March 2020; and Development Approvals are not required for an existing restaurant, shop, local shop or market to be used for a take away food outlet for a period of 6 months.

For more information, visit - COVID-19 Community information

 

State wide, amendments to the Planning and Development Regs were gazetted over the weekend which are pretty significant, granting the Minister the ability to waive any planning requirement to respond to COVID-19. I know there is a push to have these powers extended to local governments to take pressure off the Minister's office so will be interesting to see how this plays out. I have already heard of Local Governments being told not to enforce noise restrictions etc. The below was published prior to gazettal.

Media Statements - Planning changes support COVID-19 response and recovery

 

Hopefully the other council's follow.

 

DAPs also being advised that "it may be prudent to consider reasonable timeframes [4 years)] for substantial commencement in the determination of a DAP application."

Note applicants will still need to ask for this extension in most instances.

 

METRONET’s new Bayswater Station project set to create jobs
9/04/2020 10:05 AM

• Evolve Bayswater Alliance named preferred proponent to design and build the new Bayswater Station project
• Another METRONET project milestone set to create jobs and boost the economy
• New METRONET station will form a junction for the Midland Line, Forrestfield-Airport Link and Morley-Ellenbrook Line
• Project will inject further vibrancy into Bayswater town centre
• Current 1960s structure to be replaced with modern facility

Media statement - METRONET’s new Bayswater Station project set to create jobs

 

Major reform to Western Australian strata law starts on May 1, 2020
Thursday, 9 April 2020

• The changes will modernise the State's strata framework, making it clearer and fairer
• Strata.wa.gov.au is the gateway to community information and support on these reforms

Changes to Western Australia's strata law will be introduced on May 1, 2020 to better support the thousands of Western Australians who own, live in or want to buy strata properties.

The reforms will modernise how strata is run and managed in the State, and represent the most important updates to our strata framework in more than 20 years.

There are more than 325,000 strata properties in Western Australia across residential and commercial strata schemes such as apartments, townhouses and units.

Rather than strata owners having to meet face-to-face, they will benefit from the ability to hold meetings remotely and vote electronically. There will be better by-laws, and the introduction of statutory duties for strata managers and council members.

Other improvements will see strata buyers receive more upfront information about the property they are looking to buy, and strata disputes managed more efficiently and at less cost through the State Administrative Tribunal.

The amended Strata Titles Act 1985 will take effect on May 1, 2020, with grace periods set for some new requirements to ensure those affected have adequate time to meet them.

For more information about the changes, visit http://www.strata.wa.gov.au or call Landgate's customer service on (08) 9273 7373.

Media Statements - Major reform to Western Australian strata law starts on May 1, 2020

 

MEDIA STATEMENT: Planning reform delivers robust Development Assessment Panels - Wednesday, 22 April 2020

• Selected specialist members reappointed to five new panels
• Changes improve consistency of process to promote community confidence
• Streamlined Development Assessment Panels a key planning reform milestone

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti today announced major structural changes to the State's Development Assessment Panel system, reducing the number of panels from nine to five and reappointing selected specialist members.

In line with the McGowan Government's Action Plan for Planning Reform, this change is an interim step to reduce the number of panels further to a maximum of three and help simplify and improve Western Australia's planning system.

Development Assessment Panels (DAPs) are unique to Western Australia, enhancing planning expertise with technical advice and local knowledge to inform decision making.

The new five-panel configuration will enhance governance standards and facilitate greater consistency and transparency in decision-making. The streamlined panels will be:

• City of Perth;
• Metro Inner-North;
• Metro Inner-South;
• Metro Outer; and
• Regional.

New boundaries, which will take effect from April 27, 2020, will not impact the role of local government membership with measures being put in place to ensure continuity of local representation and management of existing applications.

The changes to DAPs follow a number of other planning system improvements implemented by the McGowan Government, including Design WA guidelines to ensure infill and new apartments are built to higher standards.

More information about the new panels is available at https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/daps

Media statement - Planning reform delivers robust Development Assessment Panels

 

This is a great step in my opinion, but the key will be who the experts on each DAP are. DAP Members will now be a full time role, not just sessional like before, so hopefully DPLH has shelled out decent $$ to attract decent candidates, otherwise it could be a waste of time. Consistency of decision making will remain, but needs to be consistently good decision making, which requires very experienced and competent (and likely expensive) members.

 

Agreed. Especially when they take the net step of reducing down to 3 DAPs. I also wonder how many 'top' professionals will want to give up their job to become a full-time DAP member.

 

Yeah agreed, we might get lucky and have some good older planners/architects transitioning to retirement from their firms, but career private sector planners are probably unlikely to switch to public sector (David Caddy's move being the exception as I'm sure there were plenty of private sector big wigs vying for the Chairman role) . Kim Petani I expect (and be happy) to see pop up on a JDAP after a long career at DPLH and a recent stint on the Metro West Panel

 

Update on the City of Canning’s Local Planning Scheme and Planning Policies:

The City of Canning’s Local Planning Scheme No. 42 was approved by the Minister for Planning on 23 April 2020.

Local Planning Scheme No. 42 is now the operative statutory planning scheme for the City of Canning. In addition, 15 new Local Planning Policies have been adopted under Local Planning Scheme No. 42.

Local Planning Scheme No. 42 is available on the City’s website at the following link: www.canning.wa.gov.au/residents/building-here/planning-services

The Local Planning Scheme No. 42 maps are available on the City’s online mapping portal IntraMaps at the following link: www.canning.wa.gov.au/business/business-in-canning/maps

Gazettal of Local Planning Scheme No. 42 means that the former Town Planning Scheme No. 40 has been revoked, and Local Planning Policies that were adopted under Town Planning Scheme No. 40 are no longer in effect.

There are a number of zone and land use changes in Local Planning Scheme No. 42. Any development applications submitted under Town Planning Scheme No. 40 will now be assessed and determined under Local Planning Scheme No. 42.

The Canning City Activity Centre Plan, Queens Park Local Structure Plan and Bentley360 Local Structure Plan will continue to operate under Local Planning Scheme No. 42. The City will progress amendments to these plans to update references to the current planning framework.
In addition, Town Planning Scheme No. 17A and Town Planning Scheme No. 21 remain in place for their respective areas.

 

R-Codes Revisions:

Public consultation also opened today on revisions to the R-Codes state planning policy to expedite approvals for single houses, multiple and grouped dwellings, and smaller structures such as patios, carports, decks and sheds.

For new homes or home extensions that currently require planning and building approvals, the revised R-Codes propose to allow local governments to deem more of these applications compliant, allowing applicants to proceed straight to building permit.

Submissions on the new R-Codes policy can be made at https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au until September 10, 2020.

 

For those interested the proposed changes are definitely worth taking a look at.

There are a number of changes proposed however the few that stuck out to me were:

• No development approval required for compliant single houses on lots less than 260m2.
  
• Open space - Allow additional site cover of 5 per cent.
• Reduce minimum site area to 350m2 for ancillary dwellings on single house lots.
  
• Increase outdoor living area requirements, including minimum dimensions and area.
  
• Require one tree per dwelling and landscaping within the front setback for single houses, as well as grouped and multiple dwellings.

 

Game changer here. My designer said his been involved in this process and the open space is a big one

 

Some nice simplifications in there but there is certainly one that is going to be difficult and that's the proposed OLA being 32sqm for all densities. I get the intention but it's going to be hard to get 32sqm at R60 and R80 especially with the proposed decreases in open space. Even R40 is going to be a push for this very common bread and butter medium density for single storey developments