New policy for activity centre development

The state government has released a new planning policy for the development of activity centres, replacing guidelines that are 10 years old.

The draft policy forms part of the state government’s planning reform agenda to create what it says is a more contemporary planning system, to assist in Western Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

Activity centres are defined as community hubs that provide retail, commercial and entertainment opportunities where people live, work and recreate.

The State Planning Policy 4.2 Activity Centres aims to provide a consistent set of guidelines on delivering a mix of residential, commercial, retail and lifestyle uses when planning and developing major activity centres, ensuring they are integrated with public transport and delivered consistently across WA.

The new draft policy and implementation guidelines include: simplifying and streamlining policy content; providing guidance on retail planning and the sustainability assessment; alignment with the Design WA policy suite; and expanding the geographic scope outside Perth and Peel to Bunbury.

“Activity centres are the building blocks of every community - they are the places where we live, work, shop, dine and have fun,” Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said.

“They can be built around public transport nodes or shopping and retail centres.

“The new proposed policy seeks to achieve a mix of activities that create vibrant communities - diverse housing options, supported by local commercial and retail businesses and quality public transport links.

“These are all the elements we seek to bring to our Metronet precincts as our world-class public transport system continues to take shape.”

In reference to residential density, the draft policy implementation guidelines acknowledged the challenges of achieving higher residential density and employment targets in new and emerging activity centres.

“Setting minimum density targets for new and emerging activity centres has the potential to sterilise development of land where the market does not support those minimum targets in the short-medium term,” the guidelines said.

As a possible solution it outlined; ‘initial/interim’ density and employment targets, to be achieved within 10 years of the approval of the precinct structure plan; and ultimate density targets – to be achieved through a review of the precinct structure plan following 10 years of the Precinct Plan implementation (or another timeframe as approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission).

Public consultation on the draft policy and guidelines closes on February 12 2021.