Frequently Asked Questions

A Local Planning Strategy (the Strategy) is a fundamental component of the local planning framework. It is a high level and strategic document that sets out the framework for local planning and development over the next 10 to 15 years.

The Strategy also provides a way to interpret State and regional strategies and policies at the local level. In doing so it allows the City to appropriately plan and manage population growth. It sets the long term strategic direction for a range of topics influencing and influenced by planning and development, including housing, activity and employment, transport and the environment. 

Importantly the Strategy will provide a basis for any changes to zoning and development standards set out in the City’s Local Planning Scheme.

The strategy sets out the framework for planning and development at a local scale over the next 10 to 15 years.  It does this by looking at 7 key topic areas being:

• Population and housing
• Activity centres and employment
• Transport and access
• Environment and sustainability
• Heritage, character and design
• Public open space and community facilities
• Tourism and entertainment.

All local governments in Western Australia are required to prepare a local planning strategy under State legislation. It is also a pre-requisite to preparing a new local planning scheme. The outcomes and recommendations of the Strategy will inform the preparation of the new Local Planning Scheme No. 7. 

The purpose of the Strategy is to provide high level strategic solutions to matters such as population growth and housing needs, strengthening the local economy and improving the connections and spaces where our community live, work and visit.

The Local Planning Scheme (formerly Town Planning Scheme) is a statutory document that sets out the way land is to be used and developed. It provides the framework for decision making about development and the use of land and is the principle mechanism for implementing the Local Planning Strategy. 

A new Local Planning Scheme No. 7 will be developed following completion of the Strategy to replace the City’s current Town Planning Scheme No. 6. The Strategy will inform the development of this new Scheme.

The Strategy sets out the long term land use planning direction and vision for the City while the Scheme sets out the rules for development in the City that align with this direction and vision.

Perth and Peel@3.5million is the State Government’s planning strategy for the Perth metropolitan region.

It provides a comprehensive strategic plan for consolidation of growth into a more compact City where 47% of all new dwellings are contained in existing urban areas as infill. It sets a framework for accommodating Perth’s growing population. It recommends that the majority of Perth’s infill growth be accommodated 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.

The City of South Perth has been allocated a minimum dwelling target of at least 4,700 new dwellings by 2031 and a total of at least 8,300 new dwellings by the time Perth reaches 3.5 million people (by approximately 2050).

A target, in the context of Perth and Peel@3.5million, is a guide for the minimum amount of additional dwellings the State Government expects each local government to provide. The purpose of this is to guide further detailed planning, which should include detailed analysis of the best available population and demographic information.

A forecast is an estimate of the likely future population based on a wide range of the most robust, up to date information available including; the number and type of dwellings anticipated for the area, assumptions about supply, age-specific migration rates and local birth and death rates. This is generally more sophisticated than a target because it takes into account the most up to date and locally specific information available.

A forecast provides a highly robust model for predicting growth and the demographic profile of that growth at a local level. The forecast prepared for the Local Planning Strategy provides the clearest, most locally specific data set for the City to analyse in its future planning. The forecast also includes projections out to 2041, with data at each 5-year interval between 2016 and 2041.

Targets and forecasts help to paint the picture of what the City is most likely to look like in the future. They each help to illustrate different aspects of what we expect to happen over time. For example:

• The State Government has a policy of encouraging more growth in the inner-city. The targets are part of this policy and provide high level guidance of how the City is expected to manage growth (i.e. where growth should be directed).
• The City is forecast to continue growing. The forecast provides the best estimate of what the growth is likely to be, in terms of the amount and demographic makeup, therefore highlighting in more detail what we need to plan for.

Best planning practice requires the use of the best available information in order to provide a picture of what is most likely to happen in the future.

No.

The Managed Growth Strategy is a plan for accommodating growth in the City. It identifies a number of areas in which the Draft Local Planning Strategy recommends directing growth.

Some of the dwelling growth predictions in the Managed Growth Strategy are based on detailed growth forecasts, including for the South Perth Activity Centre and Canning Bridge Activity Centre. Calculations for other areas are based on factors such as:

• Lifting residential densities to levels recommended by State Planning Policies
• Estimations of the capacity allowed to be built under the City’s existing Town Planning Scheme.

These numbers refer to the density code (or R-Code) that is recommended for each area. The ‘R’ stands for Residential, meaning the area will be predominantly residential dwellings. The number refers to approximately how many dwellings are expected to fit into an area. In essence, the higher the R-Code, the more dense the number of dwellings.

The R-Code also determines the types of dwelling that are permitted, with only 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.

Mixed Use means that these areas are suitable for both residential and commercial uses. It provides a greater flexibility as to what land uses are appropriate for the site. Sites that are zoned as Mixed Use may be developed for commercial uses, such as offices, retail or cafés, or for residential dwellings. It is encouraged that sites zoned for Mixed Use contain both commercial and residential wherever possible. 

• Complete the online feedback form. Before you do this, you will need to create a username and password for Your Say South Perth so you can participate in this online engagement. Registering only takes a moment and it means you can easily take part in future activities on this site and also be kept in the loop on this project. If you have already registered, you can sign in here. Hard copy feedback forms are available at the South Perth Civic Centre and South Perth and Manning libraries.
• Send an email to enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au
• Send your submission by mail to City of South Perth, Cnr Sandgate St and South Tce, South Perth WA 6151

Your feedback will help inform any modifications to the Draft Local Planning Strategy before it is returned to the Western Australian Planning Commission for final consideration.

The comment period on the draft Strategy closes at 5pm, Monday 10 June 2019. 

All feedback that is received will be reviewed by the City’s Strategic Planning team and will be used to help inform any modifications to the Draft Local Planning Strategy before it is returned to the Western Australian Planning Commission for final consideration.

You can find out more information about the Draft Local Planning Strategy by attending one of the drop in sessions shown below. City officers will be available to answer any questions you might have about the draft Strategy.

• George Burnett Leisure Centre - Seminar Room 1, Cnr Manning Road and Elderfield Road, Karawara, 10am-1pm, Saturday 23 March 2019

• South Perth Civic Centre - Reception Room, Cnr Sandgate Street and South Terrace, South Perth, 10am-1pm, Wednesday 3 April 2019

• Collins Street Centre -Community Hall, Cnr Collins Street and Shaftesbury Street, South Perth, 4-7pm, Wednesday 10 April 2019

• South Perth Civic Centre - Reception Room, Cnr Sandgate Street and South Terrace, South Perth, 5:30-8:30pm, Monday 6 May 2019

• Moresby Street Hall - Moresby Street, Kensington, 4-7pm, Thursday 9 May 2019

• Manning Community Centre - Manning Community Hall, 2 Conochie Crescent, Manning, 10am-1pm, Saturday 1 June 2019

Alternatively you can contact a strategic planning officer at the City to ask any questions you may have or to arrange a one-on-one meeting. The Strategic Planning team can be contacted via email on enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au or via phone on 9474 0777.

You can complete a hard copy feedback form which is available at the Civic Centre and the South Perth or Manning libraries. You can return your completed feedback form to the Civic Centre or via the post.

Whilst the online feedback form is the preferred method, you are welcome to make a written submission about the draft Strategy. You can do this either via email at enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au or via mail addressed to: City of South Perth, Cnr Sandgate St and South Tce, South Perth WA 6151.

Yes, in order to complete the online feedback form, you must be a registered user here on Your Say South Perth. Registration only takes a moment, and it will make participating in future projects and online engagement easier in the future.

If you have already registered, you can sign in here.

If you’d prefer not to do this, read about other ways to participate.

Yes, if you are having any technical difficulties registering or using the website, email support@engagementhq.com.