Local Planning Strategy
Planning Strategies and Schemes are the link between state and local governments.
The State Government, through the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), sets the framework for Town Planning for the metropolitan area through Perth and Peel @3.5m. This outlines the population, land use and transport goals for Perth and assigns targets for Local Governments.
This is supported by the State Government’s Metropolitan Region Scheme. This provides the overarching distribution of broad land use and transport planning for the metropolitan region.
As the next tier of town planning for the Metropolitan area, each Local Government is required to prepare and maintain a Local Planning Strategy. The Local Planning Strategy is an essential part of the City's Local Planning Framework. The Strategy informs the preparation of new Local Planning Scheme provisions.
The Strategy provides detail on the background and rationale for proposed zones and density, in addition to:
- other key planning areas of public open space
- transport
- services
- economic and community development.
It also guides the investigation of land use controls that may be introduced as part of a new local planning scheme.
The Local Planning Strategy is required to align with the State Government’s Planning strategy, however is an area specific and detailed strategy for the City of Canning.
Similar to the Metropolitan Region Scheme, which is the ‘operative arm’ guiding broad land use and transport planning for the entire metropolitan area, Local Governments must prepare and maintain a Local Planning Scheme. The scheme must be area specific and forms the ‘operative arm’ of a Local Planning Strategy. Typically recommendations that are formed in the Local Government’s Local Planning Strategy are affected in their Local Planning Scheme. Other planning instruments (such as Local Planning Policies) are also used to implement recommendations that come from the Local Planning Strategy.
The Local Planning Strategy outlines the planning direction for a 10 to 15 year period. A Local Planning Strategy informs the Local Planning Scheme by setting out the aspirations and intensions of the City. The strategy covers issues such as business activity, commercial centres, housing, public open space, environment, transport and heritage.
Local Planning Strategies, whilst prepared by the Local Government and are required to receive the endorsement of the Elected Members that form Council, it is ultimately the WAPC that approves Local Planning Strategies. Similarly, Local Planning Schemes require the support of Elected Members that form Council, but also requires the support of the WAPC before the Minister for Planning ultimately approves the Local Planning Scheme.
Current Local Planning Strategy and Local Planning Scheme No.42
The City's current Local Planning Strategy was adopted by the WAPC in 2017, and the City’s Local Planning Scheme No. 42 was gazetted in May 2020 following approval from the Minister for Planning. A lot of changes have occurred at the State Planning level since 2017. The review of the City’s Local Planning Strategy is required to ensure that the Local Planning Framework is responsive to our community expectations as well as the new State Planning requirements.
This Strategy review will result in a revised Local Planning Scheme. Until a new Local Planning Strategy is endorsed by the WAPC the current version remains in place. Download the current Local Planning Strategy 2017 (PDF 17MB).
Download the City’s current Local Planning Scheme No.42 (PDF 2MB).
In acknowledging the Local Planning Strategy as a comprehensive document, the City developed sub-strategies forming key themes of the strategy including:
- Water Management Strategy (Adopted February 2014)
- Environment Management Strategy (Adopted April 2014)
- Local Housing Strategy (Adopted October 2014)
- Community Development Strategy (Adopted March 2015)
- Public Open Space Strategy (Adopted June 2015)
- Integrated Transport Strategy (Adopted August 2015)
- Commercial and Activity Centres Strategy (Adopted October 2015)
- Rights of Way Strategy (Adopted June 2023)
Review of the City’s Local Planning Strategy and Local Planning Scheme No.42
In accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2005 and supporting Planning and Development (Local Planning Scheme) Regulations 2015, Local Planning Strategies are required to be reviewed every 5 years to ensure that they are up to date. Similarly Local Planning Schemes are also required to be reviewed every 5 years. The City’s Local Planning Strategy which was approved in 2017 is now due for review.
Stages that the Local Planning Strategy review and Local Planning Scheme review will entail:
- Initial research to prepare a Report of Review – to identify areas of improvement in the Local Planning Strategy.
- Adoption of the Report of Review by Elected Members and then the WAPC.
- Initial research into key subject area to support a new Local Planning Strategy (i.e. housing, POS etc.).
- Preliminary Elected Member and community engagement on initial research.
- Prepare draft Local Planning Strategy.
- Council and WAPC consent to advertise the draft Local Planning Strategy.
- Formal consultation on draft Local Planning Strategy and consideration of submissions.
- Modification of draft Local Planning Strategy with respect to submissions.
- Council and WAPC endorsement of new Local Planning Strategy.
- Review of current Local Planning Scheme by Local Government.
- Implementation of Local Planning Strategy recommendations into the Local Planning Scheme via scheme amendments – process involves initiation, public consultation and support from Elected Members, WAPC and final approval by the Minister for Planning.
The review process for the Local Planning Strategy and Local Planning Scheme is expected to take over 3 years from the middle of 2023 to the third quarter of 2026. This webpage will be updated as the review process is progressed.
Frequently asked questions
The Local Planning Strategy is an essential part of the City's Local Planning Framework. The Strategy informs the preparation of new Local Planning Scheme provisions.
The Strategy provides detail on the background and rationale for proposed zones and density, in addition to:
- other key planning areas of public open space
- transport
- services
- economic and community development.
It also guides the investigation of land use controls that may be introduced as part of a new local planning scheme.
The Local Planning Strategy is required to align with the State Government’s Planning strategy, however is an area specific and detailed strategy for the City of Canning.
The initial review work will be undertaken by internal City staff. Many of the supporting strategies that inform the Local Planning Strategy are in the process of review by the City’s internal subject matter experts.
It is the intention of the City to engage a consultant to write the draft Local Planning Strategy which is to be informed by the community consultation process.
It is a State planning requirement that each local government in Western Australia has a Local Planning Strategy and Local Planning Scheme.
Local Planning Schemes are required to be reviewed every 5 years. The City’s Local Planning Scheme No. 42 was gazetted in May 2020, however the Strategy was adopted in 2017. A lot has changed for both the City and within the State Planning Framework since 2017. The process of reviewing and updating these documents can take time which is why we need to start the process now to bring the Strategy in line with the City’s current needs.
The Strategy does not look at making changes to individual properties but looks to the wider objectives for future planning and development within the City. The strategy will address the future business, activity, housing, transport and environmental factors that must be address in the City’s land use and development controls.
The revised strategy will inform updates to the City’s Local Planning Scheme. The Local Planning Scheme will have guidance on how development and activity can occur on individual properties.
There are two rounds of consultation that will be undertaken by the City. The preliminary consultation will seek to engage key groups within the community. The intent of this consultation is to determine where there are areas that the current Strategy does not cover or may be out of date on.
Formal consultation will be initiated once a draft of the local planning strategy has been prepared. Through this process a series of public information sessions will be held to allow interested parties to ask questions.
The community are strongly encouraged to be involved and to make submissions of the Local Planning Strategy.
A Local Planning Scheme is a statutory document that zones or reserves land, provides guidance on what land can be used for and the siting and design of buildings and other infrastructure. The City’s current Local Planning Scheme No. 42 was gazetted 2020 and has been through several Scheme Amendments since then.
The Local Planning Scheme will take direction from the recommendations in the Local Planning Strategy. It will then go through public advertising, assessment by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, and approval by the Minster for Planning.
During the public advertising period members of the community can lodge submissions and propose modifications to the Local Planning Scheme. The City will analyse all the submissions and present these to a Council meeting for consideration, along with a resolution to forward the adopted changes to the WA Planning Commission for final approval.
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