FAQs

The City has previously received requests from residents to close pedestrian access ways, known as PAWs or laneways. This draft Plan will provide a decision making framework for future requests to close PAWs or laneways in Karawara and is an action in the City’s Integrated Transport Plan 2021-2031 (External link). The draft Plan also recommends infrastructure improvements to the PAWs or laneways.

A Pedestrian Access Way (PAW) is a laneway for pedestrians and cyclists which links roads to areas of public open space and other amenities, such as playgrounds, schools or shopping centres.

Karawara has 32 PAWs/laneways which connect streets to the central grassed area of public open space, sometimes called the ‘greenways’ or ‘Karawara diamonds’, in Karawara.

The PAWs/laneways in Karawara provide ways for pedestrians and cyclists to move around its residential neighbourhoods which have cul-de- sacs. Karawara’s road network provides car access to the front of each property, while a separate network of PAWs/laneways connects many homes to the ‘greenways/Karawara diamonds’.

The PAWs/laneways in Karawara often house public infrastructure such as water, sewers, gas pipes and electrical cables underground.

The draft Plan identifies if each PAW/laneway is essential or non-essential in terms of how it is used by pedestrians and cyclists in Karawara:

• Essential - the PAW/laneway should be retained and kept open because it plays an essential role in connecting people to places.
• Non-essential - the PAW/laneway could be closed without causing significant disadvantage when connecting people to places.

The draft Plan also proposes infrastructure improvements to the PAWs/laneways.

The City is seeking your feedback on the above proposals.

PAW/laneway number 28 is the subject of a current closure application with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, following residents’ request to close it in 2020. Despite this, feedback can still be provided on PAW/laneway number 28.

The draft Plan classifies PAW/laneway number 28 as non-essential.

PAWs/laneways classified as essential will remain permanently open. There may be some infrastructure improvements made following approval of the draft Plan.

Non-essential PAWs/laneways will currently remain open. Once the draft Plan has been approved, if residents were to request closure of a non-essential PAW/laneway, there would be a framework in place to guide their application. The application process is a lengthy and involved process which can take a number of years and requires support from adjoining landowners around the PAW/laneway. It also requires their agreement to buy the land next to their property.

The application would need to align with the City’s classification of the PAW/laneway (non-essential) and be supported by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and approved by the Minister for Lands.

No, the ‘greenways/Karawara diamonds’ are important areas of public open space.

Karawara was developed in the early 1970’s in accordance with Radburn design principles, with public open space (the greenways/Karawara diamonds) being the focal point. Homes were designed with low or see-through boundary fencing to face and connect with the public open spaces in Karawara. Changing community expectations around housing design has seen a move away from this approach in Karawara.

Laneways/PAWs numbered 3,5,7,9,11, 26 and 32 have areas where people are out-of-view when you are going down the laneway/PAW. These are called concealment indentations.

The City is proposing fencing off all of these indentations for a 12-month trial period. This will allow time and opportunity to gauge whether permanent closure would improve useability of the laneway/PAW. At the end of 12-month period, the City will evaluate the trial. 

The City followed the steps to develop a pedestrian and cycle access plan outlined in the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s document ‘Procedure for the closure of pedestrian access ways planning guidelines 2009’ (External link) which included:

1. Identifying 32 PAWs/laneways in Karawara. 
2. Undertaking a physical assessment of each PAW/laneway to understand physical condition, connectivity role, and design features. 
3. Evaluating the safety and security of each PAW/laneway using the situational crime prevention assessment methodology outlined in the planning guidelines Reducing Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in Pedestrian Access Ways 2009. 
4. Undertaking a pedestrian counting exercise for 30 minutes each Monday and Wednesday morning and afternoon over a six week period in February – March 2024 to understand how each PAW/laneway is used. 
5. Analysing geospatial representation of human mobility data from mobile phone use in the PAWs/laneways and the greenways/Karawara diamonds to better understand activity and movements within each PAW/laneway over time. This was compiled by Element Advisory which mapped mobile phone and similar device use between June 2021 and June 2024, only within the greenways/Karawara diamonds and PAWs/laneways. 
6. Identifying service utility providers in each PAW/laneway through a ‘Dial Before You Dig’ request and seeking feedback on the potential PAW closure PAW from service infrastructure providers including ACTO, NBNCo, Water Corporation and Western Power.

All feedback received will be analysed and changes made to the draft Plan as required.

The draft Plan will then be presented to Council in early 2025 for endorsement before being submitted for approval to the Western Australia Planning Commission.