About Scheme Amendments

A local planning Scheme Amendment is a change to the zoning and/or permissibility of uses within the City's Local Planning Scheme No.3 

When a change is made to the Scheme it’s known as a Scheme Amendment. A Scheme Amendment can be proposed by landowners, the City of Swan, or the Western Australian State Government.

Scheme Amendments occur for different reasons, such as:

• a change in zoning to accommodate development
• a change in the R-Codes to increase residential density
• a change in the Scheme’s wording
• to correct any inconsistency or error.

The Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 (the Regulations) categorizes Scheme Amendments into three types, being:

• Complex Scheme Amendments
• Standard Scheme Amendment
• Basic Scheme Amendments

Determination of what type of Scheme Amendment is applicable is usually based on the nature of the scheme amendment proposed and the complexity involved.

The advertising period for a Scheme Amendment will be informed by what type of scheme amendment is proposed. For Complex Scheme Amendments, the advertising period is for 60 days. For Standard Scheme Amendments, the advertising period is 42 days. Finally, for Basic Scheme Amendments, the advertising period is determined by the Minister or an authorised person, as per Section 61 of the Regulations.

Click here to find out the process involved for each Scheme Amendment type.

Under Part 5 the Planning & Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015, an amendment to the Scheme is classified as either a basic, standard or complex amendment. Depending on its classification advertising may be required. A basic amendment does not require advertising, but standard and complex amendments do.  

View the WA Planning Commission's Scheme Amendment flowcharts for more information on how they are processed. 

Visit the City's currently advertised Scheme Amendment applications, which can be found by clicking here