South Perth City Council

03/27/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 03/26/2024 21:25

City’s Local Planning Scheme No. 7 approved by Minister for Planning

In a significant milestone, the Western Australian Minister for Planning has granted final approval to the City of South Perth's Local Planning Scheme No. 7 (LPS 7), which will replace the current town planning scheme effective 27 March 2024.

Approval of the new planning scheme is a crucial step towards meeting the growing housing demands in WA over the next two decades, detailing how land will be used and developed in the City. LPS 7 will play a pivotal role in accelerating the delivery of the 8,300 additional dwellings in the City of South Perth required by the State Government by 2050.

City of South Perth Mayor, Greg Milner welcomed the decision, stating that the new scheme will facilitate the growing needs of the community.

"Local Planning Scheme No. 7 will chart the course towards a more connected and accessible City, fostering vibrancy in our public spaces, sustainable urban development, and enhancing our streetscapes and public areas," Mayor Milner said.

"This has been a major project for the City, spanning over five years. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all those who submitted feedback and participated in engagement sessions to help shape this important document," he added.

LPS 7 was prepared through extensive consultation, involving outreach to over 28,000 landowners and occupiers to request their feedback. Valuable input from stakeholders and community members was incorporated into recommended modifications to the scheme, which was subsequently supported by Council and presented to the Western Australian Planning Commission.

While many of the modifications were accepted by the Minister, those related to tree protection on private property were not adopted, with the State Government stating that they are undertaking a strategic review of tree retention which will provide direction to local governments on this issue.

"We recognise that many in the community will be disappointed with the decision to remove tree protection provisions. Nevertheless, the City remains committed to its tree planting program and is reviewing its Urban Forest Strategy to identify opportunities for increasing the City's tree canopy into the future," Mayor Milner said.

The approval of LPS 7 ensures the City has a contemporary planning framework and coincides with the City's review of its local planning policies as well as its Local Heritage Survey.