Greater Bunbury Region Scheme

The Greater Bunbury Region Scheme (GBRS) guides land use and provides the legal basis for planning in the Greater Bunbury region.
Last updated:

This region stretches from Lake Preston in the north, Peppermint Grove Beach in the south, eastwards to Darling Scarp, and covers the City of Bunbury and the shires of Harvey, Dardanup and Capel.

The GBRS defines the future of land use, dividing it into zones and reservations. Local governments are required to provide detailed plans for their part of the region consistent with the GBRS.

Zones, reservations and special control areas

The GBRS divides land in the region into zones, reservations and special control areas that are shown on the scheme map.

Zones and reservations in the GBRS are broad categories. They are not precisely defined or limited. The following descriptions are a guide.

Zones

Urban: to provide for residential development and associated local employment, recreation and open space, shopping, schools and other community facilities.

Urban deferred: land suitable for future urban development. Various planning, servicing and environmental requirements need to be addressed before urban development can occur.

Regional centre: the Bunbury central business district where commercial, civic, cultural, residential, service and administration serving the region are located.

Industrial deferred: land suitable for future industrial development but where there are various planning, servicing and environmental requirements which need to be addressed before industrial development can take place.

Rural: for the sustainable use of land for agricultural purposes, to assist in the conservation and the wise use of natural resources including water, flora, fauna and minerals. These areas can also provide a distinctive rural landscape unique to the region and accommodate carefully planned rural living developments.

Reservations

Regional open space: to protect the natural environment, provide recreational opportunities and safeguard important landscapes to be enjoyed by the public.

Railway: to provide for the passage of trains, the marshalling, maintenance and storage of rolling stock, and the transport of the public and freight by rail.

State forests: to recognise state forests as an important part of the region.

Waterways: to recognise permanently inundated inland and coastal lands below the high water mark, and existing and proposed water canals.

Port installations: to provide for the current and future expansion needs of the Port of Bunbury.

Primary regional roads: to provide a regional road network to accommodate current and future transport needs on roads declared under the Main Roads Act 1930.

Other regional roads: to provide a regional road network to accommodate current and future transport needs on roads for which the planning responsibilities are shared between the WAPC and local government.

Public purposes: to provide for public purpose, such as airports, hospital, schools and public utilities.

Special control areas

Special control areas: to respond to issues such as the protection of public drinking water. Special scheme provisions apply to land within these areas. The GBRS has:

  • SCA No 1 – Water catchments
  • SCA No 2 – Kemerton industrial zone buffer area
  • SCA No 3 – Glen Iris service corridor buffer area
  • SCA No 4 – Wastewater treatment plant buffer area

GBRS environmental review (August 2000)

An environmental assessment of the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme (GBRS) in accordance with the Environmental Protection Authority's Instructions was undertaken. This environmental review focuses on those areas where the zonings proposed under the GBRS differ significantly (in environmental terms) from the existing zonings under the local government town planning schemes.

GBRS amendments

Below are active and recently finalised GBRS Amendments.  

Copies of archived GBRS amendments are available on request.

Request archived GBRS amendments

How long does an GBRS amendment take?

In general, a major GBRS amendment usually takes 24 months to complete, depending on the environmental assessment process, the number of submissions and requests for hearings. The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) will consider all submissions before making a recommendation to the Minister for Planning.

GBRS amendments for public comment

GBRS amendments in progress

GBRS amendments finalised