Amendments to the Planning and Development (Significant Development) Regulations 2024 introduced through the Planning and Development (Significant Development) Amendment Regulations 2025 (SD Amendment Regulations) will allow the development of multiple dwellings (of any value), which incorporate at least five per cent community housing in designated areas to be classified as ‘prescribed significant development’. This allows these developments to be lodged for determination under Part 11B of the Planning and Development Act 2005 (referred to as the ‘Significant Development Pathway’), offering an alternative to other assessment pathways.
Designated locations consider accessibility (including to public transport) and proximity to various amenities including retail, medical, community and educational facilities, in addition to employment opportunities.
- For Metropolitan Perth and Peel Region Scheme areas, the development needs to be in an area designated under a planning scheme as residential density code R 30 and above and be within 800 metres of a railway station or identified higher order Activity Centres as defined by State Planning Policy 4.2 (district and above).
- Elsewhere, the development needs to be in, or within 800 metres of an area that is identified under a local planning scheme as a commercial, centre or mixed-use zone.
In both cases, to be eligible, multiple dwellings cannot be prohibited by the applicable planning instrument and community housing dwellings once constructed will be required to be managed by a registered community housing provider.
What are the benefits?
The changes to the Planning and Development (Significant Development) Regulations 2024 (SD Regulations 2024) will:
- Allow more complex applications concerning community housing to be determined by the Western Australian Planning Commission.
- Provide further choice of a development assessment pathway for developments incorporating a component of community housing (subject to criteria).
- Enable consideration of additional community housing in designated areas to address the needs of lower-income households.
When will this be operational?
The SD Amendment Regulations were published on the WA legislation website on 22 January 2025 and will become operational on 30 May 2025, as part of the SD Regulations 2024.
For further information, please contact [email protected]