As the housing crisis continues to take its toll, the development industry is stepping up to the challenge to deliver the homes we need in Western Australia.
To maintain affordability and liveability, delivering quality homes to market in a range of areas is fundamental to our way of life across the state.
While a balanced approach to delivering housing in both greenfield (new) and infill (existing) areas is critical for providing buyers and renters with all important choice, there is no doubt that greenfield development in new areas that have been zoned for urban development, is absolutely critical when it comes to delivering new homes affordably and at scale.
While support for more medium and high-density housing is also important for our future and Perth’s evolution into a more compact and connected city, homes in greenfield locations continue to play an integral role in meeting our housing needs now, and into the future.
However, much of the ‘easy to develop’ land has been delivered. Land remaining for future urban development is often constrained by factors such as a lack of planned, funded and delivered enabling infrastructure and environmental considerations that must be addressed before development can proceed.
As a result, navigating the land development process can be complex and time-consuming, involving multiple layers of decision-making across local, state and federal government.
Financial viability and ensuring a project ‘stacks up’ from a financial feasibility perspective also remains a key consideration.
At the very core of the property development industry’s role, is creating and delivering vibrant, sustainable communities that meet the housing needs of all West Australians.
New residential developments have a lot to offer new home buyers, and UDIA WA supports those looking to deliver new communities to the market through ensuring that industry, and those with an interest in development, have access to information and education opportunities related to the development process.
Expand your knowledge
To support industry capability in navigating the complex residential development process, UDIA WA Educate has developed a Foundations of Property Development course designed to introduce participants to the range of knowledge areas required to operate effectively in Western Australia’s urban development sector.
Strengthening landowner’s and industry participant’s understanding of the processes and requirements involved in delivering a residential development, is an important aspect of fostering quality development that meets legislative and regulatory requirements, as well as meeting the needs of communities.
Our foundations course is designed to give an end-to-end overview of the property development process and is taught by reputable local experts in the industry who have a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience.
That local perspective is a key point of difference across UDIA WA Educate courses, providing participants with practical insights that can be directly applied to projects within the Western Australian regulatory and market environment.
The Foundations course is run over six weeks (one day per week) and participants can enrol for one or all six days depending on their area of interest and learning needs.
It is a perfect foundation for those new to urban development or looking to develop a private land holding who may not have extensive experience in this area.
People who might be interested in this course include graduates working or seeking to work in the development industry; individuals new to urban development or seeking advancements; assistant development managers or project managers; local and state government employees; finance managers; international or interstate developers seeking local knowledge; and industry professionals with a single discipline qualification seeking a broader understanding of the urban development industry.
A distinctive element of the program is the inclusion of workshop sessions examining real-world development challenges, and in some cases site visits that complement the theory covered.
The next intake begins in May 2026 and will cover the full development lifecycle, from site acquisition and planning through to marketing and project management.
UDIA WA Educate courses are open to anyone with an interest in property, you do not have to be a UDIA WA member, however our members do receive discounts on all our courses.
To find out more, visit: https://www.udiawa.com.au/event/foundations-of-property-development/
Thank you to our Education Partner Stockland for their ongoing support of continuous improvement in the urban development industry.
By Tanya Steinbeck
