New planning rules to save time and dollars

• Planning reform ensures consistency and continuity of land supply

• Changes to Development Assessment Panels threshold to provide more options

• Largest planning reform in WA since 1963

Major reforms to the State planning system will make it cheaper and easier for homeowners to build their new homes, Planning Minister John Day has announced today.

The introduction of the second phase of the State Government's Planning Reform will see faster housing approvals and significant savings in the cost and time taken to develop land in the State.

Changes include: 

• no planning approvals for R-Code compliant single houses

• consistent processing of Development Applications across local governments

• the concurrent amendment of the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) and Local Planning Schemes by the Department of Planning and local governments

• introduction of an online application system to make it easier and faster for developers to lodge and track planning applications 

• a focus on quality design in complex urban infill and high-density developments 

• changes to the value of the thresholds for Development Assessment Panels.

Mr Day said Planning Reform phase one and two was the most significant change to the State's planning system since 1963.

"This much needed reform will support a more streamlined planning system to ensure quality outcomes with shorter time frames and quicker decisions," he said.

"This will be achieved by realigning and simplifying the statutory processes required to re-zone land for housing and economic development at all stages of the planning process.

"For example, the reform will see the MRS and local government planning schemes amended at the same time.  A 2004-05 amendment for 1,000 residential lots in Forrestdale took more than three years to complete.  Under the reform it will take around a year for the land to be planning-ready for housing - a cut to the time frame by more than half.

"Changes to the Model Scheme Text, the template for local government schemes, will create consistency across all councils.  Currently 11 of the 30 metropolitan councils still require planning approval for single houses.  A change to the text will ensure all R-Code compliant single houses are now exempt, saving time and money for home owners."       

Development Assessment Panels have also been reviewed with the opt-in value now between $2million to $10million, a change from the previous range of $3million to $7million. The mandatory value has increased from $7million to $10million plus. The City of Perth threshold is now $20million plus. 

"The new thresholds will enable more people to opt-in or out of the DAP process to provide a greater level of flexibility," the Minister said.

Mr Day said the pace and scale of developments in the State meant that WA needed a planning system that was flexible and responsive to changing community needs.

       Fact File

• Some legislative change is required with work already commencing on the 18 initiatives

• This latest reform follows the launch of phase one in 2009

• The phase two discussion paper was released for public comment in September 2013

• Comments received provided strong support for the proposed reform agenda

• For more information, visit http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/planningreform

Minister's office - 6552 6200