The Western Australian government has unveiled a 19-point plan to simplify the state’s planning system, according to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA).
The plan will provide greater consistencies across local governments and stakeholders, delivering key developments and creating jobs that will boost the economy, REIWA said.
The plan will introduce a new online system, modernizing and streamlining the planning process. It ensures that information is readily available, removing the overly complex red tape, the institute said.
The 19 initiatives outlined in the new action plan include the following proposals, according to REIWA:
- Reducing the number of land zones from over 1,000 to less than 300
- Streamlining and making development assessment processes outcome-focused
- Abolishing the need for small businesses to apply for a change of use in town centres and main streets
- Targeted reduction in approval timeframes for low-risk planning proposals
- State-wide consistent community consultation processes for development proposals
- Changes to Development Assessment Panels to boost consistency and transparency
The next steps require the WA government to consult with relevant stakeholders to shape the details of some of the initiatives, REIWA said.
