Draft Local Planning Policy 7.9 - Percent for Art

As infill development occurs in the City, there is an opportunity for developers to provide public art contributions either as part of their developments or as a cash-in-lieu payment towards the City's public art program. The Draft Policy will provide a means to collect contributions or require the commissioning of public art. Percent for Art and other public art contribution policies are well tested across Western Australia and have resulted in improved built environments and establishing a sense of place in areas facing redevelopment.

Background

Public art improves the built environment and contributes towards a sense of place. Public art can be made up of various mediums designed for public spaces, including sculpture, painting, installations, multimedia, sound, or performance. Additionally, it can be incorporated into architectural features and landscaping.

Public art can also include temporary or ephemeral displays, however for the purpose of this policy, public art shall only include permanent artworks, so those artworks required by the policy are more likely to contribute to the community for the life of the developments that they are associated with.

The State Government has implemented a Percent for Art Scheme in government projects since 1989. This scheme applies to state government projects and has been the inspiration and guidance behind local government policies that have come since then. Whilst Percent for Art has occurred around the world and does occur in the eastern states, Western Australia is unique in its proliferation of Percent for Art policies across local government. Local Governments followed the State by introducing Percent for Art policies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Private developments in Ellenbrook and East Perth have included Percent for Art contributions in the early 2000s. By 2019 there were 18 of 25 local governments in the Perth Metropolitan Area with Percent for Art Policies. The City of Nedlands remains one of few local governments in the Perth Metropolitan Area that does not have a Percent for Art Policy.

LPP 7.9 Summary

The draft Policy will apply to all development with a cost of development of $2 Million or more. Exemptions apply to wholly residential developments with less than 10 dwellings, additions and alterations to existing developments which have a cost of development of less than $4 Million, developments within the Shenton Park Hospital Redevelopment Improvement Scheme Area, development within Metropolitan Region Scheme that is reserved for a purpose other than urban and development comprised solely of demolition, site works or other servicing infrastructure.

Developments will be required to provide public art to a value of 1% of the development cost. Developers may provide the art themselves or provide cash-in-lieu to the City for the City to spend on public art in the area.

The draft Policy sets out the requirements for developers to satisfy either option. This includes the process to gain approval for public art installations and the specifications for the types of art, performance standards and information to be provided with applications.

The key elements of the local planning policy are as follows:

• Defines 'public art' and 'professional artist';
• Sets out what developments the policy applies to;
• Requires contributions in the form of an on-site contribution or cash-in-lieu;
• Provides the process for commissioning of public art and for satisfying cash-in-lieu;
• Sets out maintenance requirements for commissioned public art; and
• Outlines the City's obligations regarding expenditure and refund requirements for cash-in-lieu contributions made to the City.

What is happening now?

Council adopted draft Local Planning Policy 7.9 - Percent for Art for the purpose of advertising at their 26 November 2024 meeting.

The LPP will now be advertised for a period of 22 days, from 14 February 2025 - 7 March 2025.

City Officers are available to discuss the proposal during normal business hours over the phone, in person by appointment, or via email. Additionally, City Officers will be available to discuss the proposal afterhours in the City’s Council Chambers on 19 February 2025 between 4:00pm and 6:00pm. Due to the capacity of the meeting room, appointments are essential to be able to attend this afterhours Community Information Session. Please note this is an informal chance to discuss the proposal with the City’s Planning Officers, and there is no formal presentation. To secure your appointment, please contact the City on planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au or RSVP here.

Members of the community are invited to make a submission online through the Your Voice page, via email at planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au, or by sending hard copy submissions to the City's Administration Building at 71 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA 6009. For email and hard copy submissions, please include:

• Subject line: Draft Percent for Art LPP 7.9
• Full name
• Address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Address of property affected (if applicable)
• Whether you support or object to the Draft Tree Retention LPP, or if you are providing comment only.

Feedback received will be taken into consideration prior to the local planning policy being provided back to Council. Please note that written submissions are not considered confidential and may be published in Council agendas.

For any further enquiries, or to arrange a time to come into the City to speak with a Planner, please contact the City’s Strategic Planning team via email at planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au or call 9273 3500.