FAQs
The State Government has a policy of encouraging more growth in inner-city areas including the City. The targets within the Central Sub-Regional Planning Framework provide high level guidance of how the City is expected to manage growth.
The City is forecast to experience a 43% population growth by 2050. Forecasting will provide the best estimate of future growth, in terms of numbers and demography, highlighting what the City needs to plan for in greater detail.
Single houses and grouped dwellings (units) permitted in areas up to R40; and
All dwelling types including multiple dwellings (apartments) permitted in areas R50 and above.
How many of the actions from the current Local Planning Strategy have been completed?
The Strategy identifies future planning issues and outlines actions to address these issues with expected timeframes for completion. Of the 86 actions identified in the City’s Local Planning Strategy with 45% of these are fully completed with most of the remaining underway.
Why do we need a Local Planning Strategy?
All local governments in Western Australia are required to prepare a Local Planning Strategy as per S4.1 of the Local Planning Strategy Guidelines (LPS Guidelines). A Strategy needs to be in place to prepare or significantly amend a Local Planning Scheme.
The purpose of the Strategy is to provide high level strategic solutions to matters such as Housing and Population, Retail and Commerce and Recreation and Open Space.
What is Perth and Peel@3.5million and what does it mean for the City of Nedlands?
Perth and Peel@3.5million is the State Government’s current planning strategy for the Perth metropolitan region.
It provides a comprehensive strategic plan for the urban consolidation of the metropolitan region, targeting 47% of dwellings to be delivered within existing urban areas as infill. It sets a framework to recommend growth within ‘activity centres’ and along ‘urban corridors’ well served by transport infrastructure.
Perth and Peel@3.5million also sets minimum dwelling infill targets for each local government which can be found in the various sub-regional planning frameworks.
The City of Nedlands has been allocated a minimum dwelling target of at least 4,320 new dwellings to house a projected population of 31,350 by the time Perth reaches 3.5 million people (by approximately 2050).
What is an activity centre?
Activity centres, as defined in State Planning Policy 4.2, are mixed-use urban areas with a mix of commercial, residential, and other land uses. They are community hubs, typically well-served by transport networks, with a focus on public and active transport and include uses like retail, housing, entertainment, education, and medical services.
What is the difference between a target and a forecast?
A target, in the context of Perth and Peel@3.5million, is a guide for the minimum number of additional dwellings the State Government expects each local government to provide. The purpose of this is to guide further detailed planning, by analysing up to date information.
A forecast is an accurate and informed estimate of the likely future population based on various information streams including potential dwelling yields, supply and demand assumptions and birth/death/migration statistics. This is generally more sophisticated than a target because it considers up to date and locally specific information.
How do targets and forecasts inform the Strategy?
Targets and forecasts make predictions of what the City may look like in the future. Both help to aspects of what we expect to happen over time. For example:
What does R60 and RAC-1 mean?
The ‘R’ stands for Residential, meaning the area will comprise mostly residential dwellings. The number refers to the density roughly how many dwellings are expected to fit into an area per hectare (10,000sqm). For example, a zoning code of R60 means approximately 60 dwellings can be accommodated. To summarise, the higher the R-Code, the higher the number of dwellings and the denser the area.
Additionally, the application of State Planning Policy 7.3 – Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) dictates the type of dwellings permissible in certain areas:
RAC zoning defines development expectations in Activity Centres, with lower numbers indicating more significant centres requiring a greater density and scale of development is expected for the area as per Volume 2 of the R-Codes.
What does Mixed Use mean?
Mixed Use zones are areas are suitable for both residential and commercial uses. It allows for a greater number of uses to be considered on specific sites. Sites that are zoned as Mixed Use may be developed for solely commercial purposes (ie: offices, shops cafés), solely residential purposes (ie: Dwellings), however, it is most encouraged that Mixed Use sites incorporate both commercial and residential wherever possible.
When can I provide feedback on the Draft Local Planning Strategy?
Once consultation materials have been prepared you will be notified of any upcoming consultation via a letter drop organised by Administration.
The comment period on the amended Local Planning Strategy will run for 21 days or a longer period agreed upon by the WAPC.
What will happen to the stakeholder and community feedback?
All feedback received will be reviewed by the City’s Strategic Planning team and used to inform any amendments to the Local Planning Strategy before it is returned to the Western Australian Planning Commission for final adoption.