Bushfire Planning Framework Review 2019 - 2022

In response to concerns raised by the community, local governments and other stakeholders about the 2015 bushfire reforms, the Minister for Planning in cooperation with the Minister for Emergency Services requested that Dr Tony Buti MLA undertake a review of the bushfire policy framework to examine the effectiveness of the policy. 

To address the issues identified by Dr Buti in the Bushfire Planning and Policy Review: A Review into the Western Australian Framework for Planning and Development in Bushfire Prone Areas report, the Government will undertake a three-stage package of reform initiatives.

• a staged review of the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas
• development of a new mapping methodology
• an amendment to the policy and regulatory mechanisms, including State Planning Policy 3.7 Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas and Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas.

The revised map will incorporate a methodology that recognises the lower risk of bushfire in significantly built up urban areas, and will introduce more nuance and take a more holistic approach to the designation of bushfire prone areas and the extent of the potential impact on communities.

The changes will be made in three -stages, with the new Map anticipated for release in 2022.

Stage 1

1a – Revise the map to remove small parcels of isolated vegetation less than four hectares within the Perth Central planning sub-region.

Completed: The revised Stage 1a map came into effect on Wednesday 31 July 2019.

1b – Revise the Mapping Standard for Bush Fire Prone Areas to include additional criteria that reflect the lower risk of bushfire in the context of significantly built up urban areas, such as whether the vegetation parcel is managed.

Completed: The revised stage 1b map came into effect from Saturday 28 September 2019, replacing the Stage 1a map. 

Stage 2

Revise the map for the rest of the State in collaboration with the CSIRO.

Underway: The new Map is anticipated for release in 2022. 

Stage 3

Amend as required, the policy and regulatory mechanisms that need to respond to the map produced at Stage 2, including State Planning Policy 3.7 Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas and the Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas. This is expected to run concurrently with Stage 2, with SPP 3.7 and Guidelines advertised for public consultation in 2022.

You should check if areas designated as bushfire prone in your local government area are still designated as bushfire prone or have been removed. 

The 19 local governments within the Perth Central planning sub-region are:

• Town of Bassendean
• City of Bayswater
• City of Belmont
• Town of Cambridge
• City of Canning
• Town of Claremont
• Town of Cottesloe
• Town of East Fremantle
• City of Fremantle
• City of Melville
• Town of Mosman Park
• City of Nedlands
• Town of Peppermint Grove
• City of Perth
• City of South Perth
• City of Stirling
• City of Subiaco
• Town of Victoria Park
• City of Vincent

Areas that are no longer designated as bushfire prone will not be captured by State Planning Policy 3.7 or part 10A of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2015.

For owners/applicants whose property is still identified as bushfire prone in the Stage 1b map, the requirements under State Planning Policy 3.7 and the Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas still apply. 

If you are an applicant or decision-maker not within the Perth Metropolitan Central planning sub-region, you will not be affected by Stage 1 changes but may be affected by the revised Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas (the Map) as part of Stage 2.  The new Stage 2 Map is anticipated to be released in 2022.

When a planning application is lodged, it will be assessed against the map that is current on the day of the decision. For owners/applicants considering lodging a planning application in a designated bushfire prone area that is not within the Perth Metropolitan Central planning sub-region, requirements under State Planning Policy 3.7 and the Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas still apply. Consideration can be given to deferring lodgement until release of the Stage 2 map.  

To keep up to date with any changes to the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas or the bushfire policy framework, you can subscribe to the Bushfire Reform subscriber list.

Planning applications in designated bushfire prone areas should be assessed under the existing bushfire policy framework, which includes State Planning Policy 3.7 Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas (December 2015), the Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas (as amended) and the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2015 until a revised policy, as part of Stage 3 of the Bushfire Framework Review 2019, is gazetted.

The Position Statement: Tourism land uses in bushfire prone areas has been incorporated into Version 1.4 of the Guidelines, as Element 5: Vulnerable tourism land uses.